ReportWire

Tag: gigi barnett

  • Virginia lawmaker rolls the dice again on bill to bring casino to Fairfax Co. – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    The on-again, off again plan to bring a sprawling casino to Fairfax County, Virginia, is back on, even though many residents don’t want to roll the dice on the proposal.

    The on-again, off-again plan to bring a sprawling casino to Fairfax County, Virginia, is back on — even though many residents don’t want to roll the dice on the proposal.

    State Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, a Democrat representing a portion of the county, has revamped and revived a bill that, if approved, would add Fairfax County to the list of localities eligible to host a casino.

    A similar bill, also introduced by Surovell, died in a House of Delegates committee last year.

    “We’re also losing a couple hundred million dollars a year to the MGM Casino over in (Prince George’s) County, and I can’t stand seeing all that Virginia money going over the bridge to Maryland,” he said. “We’ve got to get that money back in Virginia.”

    The sprawling entertainment venue would feature a hotel, a performing arts center, a convention center and a casino.

    At the request of Tyson’s residents, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted against the proposal last month. Homeowners fear the complex could bring unwanted traffic and congestion.

    In a news release, Paula Martino, president of the Tysons Stakeholders Alliance opposition group, said the reintroduction of a bill backing the casino is disappointing.

    “This proposal represents the wrong kind of development for Tysons and ignores the voices of the people who live and work here,” she wrote. “This bill is an attempt to use the same failed legislation as before to get a different result, and Tysons residents will react in the same manner as in previous years.”

    State lawmakers have failed to pass consecutive legislation on the issue since 2022. But Surovell said with high real estate taxes and a lack of a large convention center, Fairfax County still needs a way to make more cash.

    “The board of supervisors have been asking for decades for more ways to raise money,” he told WTOP. “This project would return about $300 million per year, or about $3 billion per decade, to Fairfax County so they could have that money to support our teachers, firefighters, our first responders, police, and help fund services at the level Fairfax County citizens expect.”

    Surovell said the bill requires a referendum, giving voters a final say on the casino.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • Sham nonprofit shut down for raking in thousands in bogus candy sales – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    The founder of a bogus nonprofit that exploited children through fake candy sales has been permanently barred from doing business in the D.C. region after investigators uncovered more than $850,000 in fraud.

    The founder of a bogus nonprofit organization is barred from ever doing business again in the region, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced Tuesday.

    For years, prosecutors say Jule Huston recruited school-aged children from low-income neighborhoods in D.C. through the “Maryland Youth Club of America” to carry out phony candy sales.

    The children told buyers that the money would go toward scholarships, field trips and other kid-friendly adventures. But the kids never saw a dime of the money or a reward for their labor.

    “For too long, Maryland Youth Club and Huston engaged in an illegal scheme that exploited both DC children and the generosity of DMV residents,” Schwalb said in a news release.

    The D.C. Office of the Attorney General partnered with prosecutors in Maryland and Virginia to investigate Huston. They discovered that between 2018 and 2022, the bogus candy sales raked in more than $850,000.

    Prosecutors say Huston, a New York resident, diverted the funds to his personal bank accounts, to his mother and to a second fake nonprofit, the “Virginia Youth Club.”

    Huston is also accused of destroying the nonprofit’s financial records.

    “I’m glad they’ve been shut down in the DMV,” said Joshua Comstock, a Baltimore County resident who came across a 10-year-old boy selling candy.

    Back in 2021, Comstock said the boy knocked on his front door. Comstock noticed that the boy was alone but bought $20 worth of candy in support of the cause.

    “It seemed weird to me,” he told WTOP. “He told me to donate to a Venmo link. So, I thought that was weird.”

    Afterward, Comstock said he looked into the organization, and a quick search of the group’s social media page yielded comments from other concerned buyers that Huston was exploiting children. Comstock reported it to a county council member.

    Four years later, he’s glad the nonprofit is shut down, but is still concerned that another bogus youth club will pop up in another state.

    “It makes me really angry,” Comstock said. “Kids already have enough to deal with without predatory child labor rackets trying to hustle away their summers.”

    Huston was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine to real youth nonprofit organizations.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • Doctors turning to trusted life hack to eliminate pain of perfectionism – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    It’s called “satisficing,” a combination of making choices that are satisfying and what suffices with the information that’s readily available.

    The hair-splitting and nitpicking pain of perfectionism can cause many people to overthink, stress or burnout.

    But an old life hack is surging that’s designed to eliminate anxiety linked to making perfect choices and spark quick action.

    It’s called “satisficing,” a combination of making choices that are satisfying and suffice with the information that’s readily available.

    Dr. Tina Thomas, an adult psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente, said it means a quick escape from analysis paralysis for many perfectionists.

    “As humans, we have this desire to want to make the right choice all of the time. And not do something until we are 100% prepared. But in that desire, we end up not really achieving a lot,” she told WTOP.

    The decision-making strategy was first used back in the mid-1950s by Dr. Herbert Simon. He taught patients to make choices based on their first “good-enough” option that met their needs, rather than the perfect choice. It helped reduce anxiety and rumination.

    “It’s about being good enough rather than perfect,” she said.

    In addition to the method, Thomas advises her patients to set and stick to clear deadlines, and once a decision is made, don’t second-guess it.

    “Be happy. You’ve made a good choice,” she said. “Know that your task is done and you can move forward.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • Feeling the flu: Doctors see simultaneous uptick in flu and RSV cases – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    Local emergency rooms are seeing a rise in flu and respiratory syncytial virus cases at the same time, an uncommon trend. 

    Local emergency rooms are seeing a rise in flu and respiratory syncytial virus cases at the same time, an uncommon trend.

    Respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, tends to peak when the flu season starts to trend down.

    That’s not the case this year — the viruses are peaking simultaneously.

    Jon Gonella, a physician assistant at MedStar Health, said no one was caught off guard.

    “We’re not surprised to see them,” said Gonella. “We fully expect to see them.”

    To avoid that flu fever or RSV cough, Gonella said it’s best to go back to the basics.

    “Good hand hygiene,” he said. “I know we talk about it a lot. But it really does make a difference.”

    The CDC also recommends getting vaccinated and staying home when you feel sick.

    While the flu and RSV see an upward tick in cases, there’s one respiratory illness that hasn’t shown up as much this year.

    “Not a lot of COVID,” Gonella said.

    The Centers for Disease Control ranked COVID-19 as “very low” nationwide and “growing” in the D.C. area.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • But the cat came back: Fairfax Co. kitty is reunited with family after 15 years – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    After 15 years missing, a microchip helped reunite Flora, a 16-year-old cat, with her original family in Fairfax County.

    Flora was reunited with her family by the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia.
    (Courtesy Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

    Courtesy Fairfax County Animal Shelter

    Flora was reunited with her family by the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia.
    (Courtesy Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

    Courtesy Fairfax County Animal Shelter

    Flora was reunited with her family by the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia.
    (Courtesy Fairfax County Animal Shelter)

    Courtesy Fairfax County Animal Shelter

    Workers at Fairfax County Animal Services in Virginia went through their normal routine last week when animal control officers picked up a nearly 16-year-old cat.

    Flora’s owners had recently passed away, and she needed a new home.

    “We went ahead and scanned her for a microchip,” said Frankie Kachur, the agency’s communications assistant. “And to our surprise, a name came back.”

    Workers immediately reached out to the family, who returned the call just as fast.

    “They said … ‘she went missing as a kitten and we’ve been missing her for 15 years,’” Kachur told WTOP.

    Soon after, the family arrived at the shelter to take her home. Flora rejoined another four-legged family member, a litter mate still with the family.

    “Her dad was overjoyed,” Kachur said. “He just couldn’t believe that he was looking at this little cat that he adopted as a kitten and how she had grown. Flora, she was a little confused at first, I’ll admit, but she very, very quickly melted into his arms.”

    The family said Flora slipped away during a move. They searched for her, reported her missing and posted flyers.

    Kachur said without the microchip installed years ago and the family registering it, Flora may still be missing.

    “Every single day, we have stray animals who walk through our door who we don’t know their history, and they can’t tell it to us,” she said. “So, one of the best ways we can get ahold of their family … is through a microchip.”

    Fairfax County Animal Services offers microchipping services for pets twice a month at $20. The clinic is Nov. 5 at Fire Station 40 in Fairfax, Kachur said.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • DC residents say police department is still cooperating with ICE, violating human rights – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    Last month marked the end of a 30-day cooperation between D.C. police and ICE agents. Mayor Muriel Bowser said then that officers would no longer be involved in immigration arrests. But residents said it’s still happening.

    Dozens of District residents spoke out at a public hearing before the D.C. Council on Wednesday about what they described as a continued collaboration between the city’s police department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

    The neighbors told D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau, who hosted the discussion, that what they’re seeing on city streets are human rights violations.

    “I walk with my passport in hand,” said Nadia Salazar Sandi, a core organizer with Colectivo de Familias Migrantes, a human rights nonprofit in D.C. “I’m a parent and I can’t fathom being separated from my 3-year old. … My parents walk with a fear that I’ve never seen before, with passport copies in hand and a prayer that nothing will happen to anyone in our family.”

    Last month marked the end of a 30-day cooperation between D.C. police and ICE agents. Mayor Muriel Bowser said then that officers would no longer be involved in immigration arrests.

    But residents said it’s still happening.

    “Every single day within one mile of the house where I was born and raised, 15 to 20 immigrants are snatched up by masked federal agents with no warrants and no due process,” said Tanya Golash-Boza, a professor of sociology at the University of California who studies immigration law enforcement.

    “Our neighbors are being attacked. Families are living in terror. Children are losing their parents. And people are scared to leave their houses,” she said. “If we allow it to continue here, in the nation’s capital, what happens next?”

    WTOP has reached out to Bowser’s office about the residents’ concerns. Her office did not comment on the issue.

    Residents said D.C. police are arresting undocumented immigrants for minor infractions. Then, minutes later, ICE agents will arrive on the scene to arrest them.

    “On the way to grab my morning coffee, about a dozen masked ICE agents were staging in the firehouse parking lot on the corner of 14th and Newton Street,” said D.C. resident Dante O’Hara. “The workers … on the same corner of the firehouse are absolutely terrified. One of their workers told me that she was afraid to walk her daughter to school in fear of being kidnapped in front of her daughter.”

    O’Hara called for the city to follow the lead of Chicago, which recently set up “ICE-free zones.” It bans federal immigration agents from using city property and private businesses as staging areas to scope out suspected undocumented immigrants.

    Residents are also asking the city for more legal services for immigrants and more data collected during arrests to track which agencies are on the scene.

    Nadeau’s committee invited the D.C. Office of Human Rights, which handles cases involving human rights violations, to attend the meeting. She said the office turned down her request to join.

    “If actions by our own agencies do not comply with D.C. law and human rights, we need to know and we need to make demands of the executive to put an end to those actions,” Nadeau said.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • World Heart Day: A Leesburg father’s urgent message on heart failure after he was diagnosed at 41 – WTOP News

    World Heart Day: A Leesburg father’s urgent message on heart failure after he was diagnosed at 41 – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    A Loudoun County man had a mysterious illness until his doctor got a hunch and ordered a heart X-ray. The doctor gave the Leesburg father of three a surprising diagnosis.

    Son Vang with his family. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
    (Courtesy Son Bang)

    Courtesy Son Bang

    At 41 years old, Son Vang didn’t fit the mold of a typical heart failure patient.
    (Courtesy Son Bang)

    Courtesy Son Bang

    Dr. Robert Kormos, a cardiothoracic surgeon and professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh, said many times heart failure masquerades as cold symptoms because fluid from the heart builds up in the lungs, causing an incessant cough and congestion.
    (Courtesy Robert Kormos)

    Courtesy Robert Kormos

    Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Son Vang.

    Five years ago, Son Vang battled a dry cough that wouldn’t go away.

    It was a mysterious illness until his doctor got a hunch and ordered a heart X-ray. The doctor gave the Leesburg, Virginia, father of three a surprising diagnosis.

    “The cardiologist came into my hospital room and said, ‘Look, you have congestive heart failure,’” Vang told WTOP. “I was pretty scared at that time.”

    Vang didn’t fit the mold of a typical heart failure patient. At 41 years old, he was young, a nonsmoker and had no family history of the condition.

    But the discovery was a relief for him because doctors had a path to wellness. It included getting on a long heart transplant list. And last year, he got an artificial heart pump, giving him more time with his wife and three girls.

    “I’ve been feeling better than I have the last five or 10 years,” he said. “You don’t realize how sick you were with your heart not pumping enough blood to the rest of your organs. Now that my heart is pumping full speed, I can be active and play with my kids.”

    Sunday is World Heart Day, when doctors and patients around the globe bring attention to heart disease and explore ways to make the organ healthier.

    Vang said his journey is a message to others to get checked for heart failure early.

    “You can’t tell a person who’s having heart failure,” he said. “It doesn’t show. It’s not like you break your leg and you can see it. With the declining of your heart, you can’t tell.”

    Nearly seven million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with heart failure each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Many live undiagnosed for years, battling puzzling symptoms, which include:

    • Shortness of breath
    • Extreme fatigue
    • A constant, dry cough
    • Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet

    Dr. Robert Kormos, a cardiothoracic surgeon and professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh, said many times heart failure masquerades as cold symptoms because fluid from the heart builds up in the lungs, causing an incessant cough and congestion.

    Kormos said patients and doctors could get to the root of the illness faster with tests designed to spot heart failure.

    “Heart failure is lethal. It kills more people than the cancer we treat,” Kormos told WTOP. “The important thing is if you have symptoms, you need another level of investigation. You need to go deeper.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News

    Maryland, D.C. and Virginia get more money for house calls for moms and infants – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration will provide an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

    More money is on the way for a home-visiting health care program designed to provide better care for pregnant women, new parents and infants.

    The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced an additional $23.1 million in federal aid to the agency’s national Home Visiting Program in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

    The extra money is the first time in a decade that the program has received an increase in federal funds, HRSA administrator Carol Johnson said.

    “What those resources mean is that we’re able to support nurses, social workers and trained home visitors, and help with those early days of being a new parent,” Johnson said. “All of this has been shown to really make a difference in kids’ outcomes. Kids are so much stronger because they get these kinds of supports.”

    Johnson said the program’s success hinges on convenient health visits in a comfortable at-home setting.

    “When you’re a new parent, if you have to take off from work and take a few buses to get to an appointment, you’re probably not going to do it,” she said. “But if that person comes to your house and they’re full of resources and knowledge, it’s going to make a huge difference to you.”

    Rockville, Maryland-based HRSA spearheads the national program, teaming up with local health organizations to target and reach parents.

    Home health care workers can provide breastfeeding support, safe sleep tips and developmental screening for babies. They can even help parents find key services like affordable child care or job and educational opportunities.

    “It’s changed my life,” past program participant Fatima Ray said.

    Ray said she was introduced to the program in 2015 when she needed help with her infant daughter. She and her husband were first-time parents and stumbled through the first few months with a newborn.

    “It felt good, like I had someone on my team,” Ray said. “Those questions you forget to ask the doctor sometimes, she would answer them.”

    The experience impressed Ray so much that she became a home health visitor. She is the maternal health coordinator at Primo Center, a homeless shelter for families in Chicago.

    “The same care that was given to me, I just want to pass it on,” Ray told WTOP. “I know how much it made a difference in my life. Home visiting matters.”

    President Joseph Biden signed bipartisan legislation in 2022 that doubles funding for the program over five years. The move was part of a campaign promise to lower risks linked to pregnancy and improve maternal health, especially among women in rural, tribal and low-income communities.

    The national home visiting program will receive $440 million Maryland’s local programs will get $10 million of those funds. Virginia is slated to receive $11 million and D.C.’s home visiting programs will see a $2.5 million increase.

    “This will push home visiting forward a lot more,” Ray said. “It’s just going to help tremendously.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • How to cope with empty nest syndrome when teens leave home – WTOP News

    How to cope with empty nest syndrome when teens leave home – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    Millions of teens are leaving home this month. In many cases, they leave unprepared parents behind who are grappling with empty nest syndrome.

    Francine Ellis owns GEM Travel, a travel agency that books vacations and excursions for empty nest parents.
    (Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel)

    Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel

    Two women
    Ellis on a cruise with other parents who are empty nesters.
    (Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel)

    Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel

    Ellis decided to travel more shortly after her son left home. She has traveled to Aruba, Jamaica and Mexico.
    (Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel)

    Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel

    Ellis hosts a Meetup and Facebook group for empty nesters in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
    (Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel)

    Courtesy Francine Ellis, GEM Travel

    Millions of teens are leaving home this month, headed off to college, the military and beyond. In many cases, they leave unprepared parents behind who are grappling with empty nest syndrome.

    Dr. Kathryn Ziemer, clinical director at Old Town Psychology, shows parents how to focus on ways to reduce sadness and loneliness linked to empty nest syndrome. (Courtesy Kathryn Ziemer)

    “They are feeling that void of not having their child in the house anymore,” said Dr. Kathryn Ziemer, clinical director at Old Town Psychology in Alexandria.

    “So, it feels emptier. But it’s not uncommon for parents to feel a sense of loss.”

    Empty nest syndrome is marked by a range of emotions, including sadness and loneliness, that turn up after a child leaves home.

    Ziemer said the shift can be jarring for parents who “have built their identity around being a parent and raising children.”

    Many parents don’t know what to do next.

    “They can kind of have an identity crisis sometimes,” she said. “They say, ‘Oh, my gosh, I don’t have this as the central role in my life anymore.’”

    Francine Ellis remembers becoming an empty nester about 20 years ago. First, her daughter enlisted into the Air Force. A few years later, her son got married, joined the Navy and moved away.

    Her house was quiet.

    “When you’re at home and you’re by yourself, that loneliness sets in,” she said.

    “Some people say, ‘When I’m at home, I’m not lonely.’ But let’s be honest, we are. And binge watching Netflix doesn’t always help.”

    Ellis, a self-described social butterfly, needed something to do with like-minded people. She volunteered at local sports stadiums, started an event planning business with a friend, and, finally settled on traveling.

    “I’ve always wanted to travel. And I found my people,” said Ellis, who also hosts Meetup and Facebook groups for empty nest parents in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. “People that were like me, who didn’t have children at home and needed something to fill the space.”

    She enjoyed traveling with other empty nesters so much that she launched a travel agency seven years ago. In addition to booking for clients of all ages, GEM Travel offers domestic and international vacation packages aimed at empty nest parents.

    Her popular, mostly adults-only trips are even attracting people who are on the cusp of becoming empty nesters soon.

    So far, her travel buddies have visited Jamaica, St. Croix, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. And every year, her clients snatch up spots for her annual trips to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York and a New Year’s Eve getaway.

    Dubai is in the works for next year, she said.

    “This absolutely was a way of coping,” said Ellis, 60, who started the agency after retiring early.

    Ziemer tells parents struggling with empty nest syndrome to put their experience into perspective. The uncomfortable emotions linked to a child leaving happen to many parents, she said.

    “It’s normal to feel sad about leaving your child at school,” Ellis told WTOP. “Be aware of what you’re feeling and let yourself feel it. But then start to shift gears.”

    She next advises them to rethink their situation.

    “OK, yes, it’s a loss but your kids are still your kids,” she said. “Reframe this as an opportunity. You’re going to have more freedom, more time and less responsibility.”

    Ziemer also tells parents to keep the lines of communication with their children open. But set boundaries, too.

    “It’s all about finding the right balance,” Ziemer said.

    “You can still be there for them. And be real with them, that you miss them. But let them have their own autonomy to spread their wings a little bit.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • Still enjoying that Labor Day getaway? Here’s how to handle post-vacation blues – WTOP News

    Still enjoying that Labor Day getaway? Here’s how to handle post-vacation blues – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    Millions of travelers are still out soaking up the last days of fun in the sun this Labor Day weekend. But reality is just around the corner.

    Millions of travelers are still out soaking up the last days of fun in the sun this Labor Day weekend.

    But as they travel back home, the post-vacation blues could set in for many of them.

    “What’s the most stressful is coming back and feeling so unprepared,” said Dr. Christina Lee, a psychiatrist and the regional medical director of mental health at Kaiser Permanente. “You’re feeling like you’re not ready to go to work the next day and be flooded with all of the things and responsibilities you have to do.”

    Vacations have many benefits for travelers, including improving heart health, lifting mental well-being and boosting creativity. But too much stress upon return can cause the perks to fade, Lee said.

    She said there are several ways to keep the good vacation vibes flowing and it begins before ever leaving home.

    “The more you can prepare yourself for re-entry and not leave things for the last minute, the better it will be,” she told WTOP. “For instance, if you come back and you have tons of laundry to do, that can be super stressful. Get those little, small menial tasks out of the way. It can really help reduce stress.”

    Lee also encourages travelers to continue the same activities they enjoyed while on their getaway.

    “Give yourself a mini version of your vacation,” she said. “If you’re a person who likes to read a lot on vacation and you read tons of books, don’t stop doing that when you come back.”

    Another tip: Be present and mindful while on vacation and revisit vivid sights and sounds from a pleasurable, relaxing trip.

    She tells clients to have vacation memories ready to recall during stressful times, she said.

    “You’re going to hear the water on the sand and feel the wind blowing on you,” Lee said. “Those are the kinds of things you want to introduce when you’re in stressful situations. If you can engage your sense, that will actually evoke relaxation.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • Prince William Co. foster mom receives top parent award – WTOP News

    Prince William Co. foster mom receives top parent award – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    Linda Cheeks has fostered more than 20 children, primarily teenagers, over the last 15 years. The 66-year-old hair stylist also volunteers to visit and style residents’ hair at nearby nursing homes.

    Dumfries, Virginia, resident Linda Cheeks has fostered about 20 children. She is the 2024 Prince William County Foster Parent of the Year. (Courtesy Linda Cheeks)

    Linda Cheeks makes sure her foster children learn many lessons before leaving her care.

    The most important one is “giving up is not an option,” she told WTOP.

    “It’s OK to fail. Just get back up,” said Cheeks. “Don’t stay down. That’s the most important thing.”

    That goes for the 66-year-old hair stylist, too.

    As a result, she has fostered more than 20 children, most of them teenagers, over the last 15 years and was recently named the 2024 Prince William County “Foster Parent of the Year” by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

    Each year, the organization gives the award to foster parents in 10 counties and cities, including Montgomery County, Maryland; Alexandria, Virginia; and D.C.

    “When a child is in need, these foster parents answer the call time and time again, even when faced with the most difficult circumstances,” said Regina Lawson, COG’s Foster Care Advisory Committee co-chair. “These outstanding parents readily step up with compassion, grace and incredible dedication.”

    The top title was a surprise for Cheeks.

    “When you’re going about your business every day, I never even thought about it,” she said. “I’ve never thought about it because I’m busy all of the time.”

    A self-titled “people person,” Cheeks became a foster parent after hearing about it from a client. She took the classes, did a background check and soon, the children started arriving.

    Cheeks said her relationship with many of her foster children remains strong, even after they leave. Her motherly role is intact for many of them, especially those who age out of the system.

    “I will contact them from time to time,” she said. “If I see something crazy on Facebook or something like that, I may call them and tell them to shut it down. They’re like family.”

    Some of her foster children make brilliant turnarounds while living with her in Dumfries, Virginia. Cheeks said one teen, who often used profanity, repeatedly broke one of the foster mom’s big rules: “Speak to others with respect and kindness.”

    “She lives in Louisiana now, and she’s doing great,” Cheeks said. “She gave me the hardest time. I was like, ‘Lord, I don’t know what I’m going to do with this one.’ But despite her behavior, I hung in there. And she’s a totally different person now.”

    Cheeks follows the “it-takes-a-village” school of thought to raise children. She has one biological daughter, who helps her with the teens occasionally. She sometimes relies on friends, neighbors and church members as well for a much-needed break.

    But her care isn’t just for kids.

    Cheeks also volunteers to visit and style residents’ hair at nearby nursing homes. Many of them can’t leave their homes, so the visits allow residents to enjoy the same conversation and company they once did at her salon, Linda’s Unisex Salon in Arlington.

    “You have to love people to do this work,” Cheeks said. “That’s my thing. I think everybody is important.”

    She plans to retire one day, but Cheeks said that day is far into the future.

    “I don’t have an end date. I just try to do the best I can for each person,” Cheeks said. “You’re only as old as you feel. So, I say, ‘Do what you can while you can do it.’”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • Doctors pushing to expand access to telemedicine visits for mental health patients – WTOP News

    Doctors pushing to expand access to telemedicine visits for mental health patients – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    Health care providers plan to discuss a slew of telehealth topics at the third National Telehealth Conference on Tuesday.

    As in-person doctor’s visits return to pre-pandemic levels, some virtual medical visits are not dwindling.

    In fact, some research shows mental health patients prefer visiting health care providers from the comforts of their own homes. More than half those visits, 55% nationwide, are remote, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

    And doctors want to keep it that way by expanding access to virtual visits. Health care providers plan to discuss a slew of telehealth topics at the third National Telehealth Conference on Tuesday, including cutting-edge technology, best practices and new ways to make remote visits available to more people.

    There are several reasons why doctors want to continue using telehealth. The most important: virtual visits are successful.

    “Telehealth has really expanded over the last several years,” said Capt. Heather Demeris, director for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. “We have data that show patients who get telehealth services have the same, and in some cases better, outcomes as in person visits.”

    Patients are also more likely to log on to mental health visits because they’re convenient. Most telemedicine visits are conducted over cellphones, tablets and video chat lines.

    What’s more, the ability to talk with a doctor and bypass an in-person visit also reduces stigma linked to mental health services and increases screenings.

    “For patients to get diagnosed with a condition that they may not have realized they’ve had and suddenly get care that improves their lives. It just makes their entire world change,” Demeris told WTOP. “That’s the beauty of having access to care.”

    Demeris said expanding virtual visits could cut down lengthy waitlists for urgent appointments.
    And the push to increase access could impact patients in rural areas the most, as those communities are scrambling to attract more mental health specialists.

    But to expand the service, health care providers will need approval from several of state governments.

    Doctors said allowing patients to book virtual appointments with mental health workers across state lines would open up more opportunities for to schedule times with a health care provider. Currently, patients can only visit remotely with a doctor who is physically located in their state as telemedicine meetings that cross state lines are illegal, Demeris said.

    “It’s one of the more important things that we’re focusing on,” she said. “When you can go across state lines is incredibly helpful.”

    The virtual meeting is open to the public.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • In Prince George’s Co., generational diagnoses drove mom, daughter to largest, longest cancer study of Black women ever – WTOP News

    In Prince George’s Co., generational diagnoses drove mom, daughter to largest, longest cancer study of Black women ever – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    “That type of data doesn’t exist for us,” Long told WTOP. “This is a movement of Black women talking about our health for the first time. And not in a victim way, but in a way of empowerment.”

    Cancer researchers are looking for thousands of Black women to lend their voices and experiences to a 30-year study.

    The American Cancer Society (ACS) launched its “VOICES of Black Women” research that will study 100,000 women over 30 years.

    It is the largest and longest cancer study of Black women in the U.S. ever, said Madeline Long, an ambassador with the nonprofit group.

    “That type of data doesn’t exist for us,” Long told WTOP. “This is a movement of Black women talking about our health for the first time. And not in a victim way, but in a way of empowerment.”

    The study will track Black women between the ages 25 and 55 from diverse backgrounds and income levels who have not been diagnosed with cancer.

    The goal is to better understand long-standing disparities among this group as Black women continue to have the highest death rate and the shortest survival of any racial group nationwide for most cancers.

    Madeline Long with her granddaughter, Ava Deané Wade, her daughter, Chanel Wade and mother, Josephine Long. (Courtesy Madeline Long)

    It’s a concern Long, a minister who resides in Bowie, Maryland, knows well.

    “Every year when I do my mammogram, I’m always prayerful, ‘Please, God, don’t let this be the year that it returns,’” Long said. “Because we just don’t know.”

    Doctors diagnosed her, her mother and aunt with breast cancer in 2011. They each received the same discovery months apart.

    At that point, Long had undergone mammogram screenings for a decade. But Long’s mother advised her to get a more detailed breast X-ray, called a diagnostic mammogram, to check for cancer.

    That’s when doctors made the discovery.

    “I don’t tell people that mammography saved my life, it was really my mother,” she said. “If my mother and aunt weren’t diagnosed, I probably wouldn’t have known cancer was present because they wouldn’t have seen it through [the screening exam].”

    Long, 60, said diagnostic mammograms, which takes additional X-ray images during the procedure, are more effective in young Black women. They commonly have denser breasts, or more breast tissue, than white women.

    “It’s like trying to see a pea through a cloud,” Long said. “And it’s not just Black women, it’s younger women. If you have dense breasts, you need additional testing.”

    Women enrolled in the VOICES study will receive regular mammograms. It’s one reason why Long enrolled her 33-year-old daughter and other women in the research.

    “I’m encouraging others to participate for the future, so that when medical breakthroughs happen, some of them can finally include people who look like me,” she said.

    Over the three-decade survey, participants will also track changes to their eating plans, exercise regimens and smoking habits.

    Long said it was one of the first things she did after learning her diagnosis.

    “My oncologist said to me, ‘I want you to lose some weight, because if you’re fat, you’re going to die anyway,’” she said. “I know that sounds harsh, but I’m glad she said that. What she was telling me really helped save my life.”

    Some Black women will pass on the chance to participate in the study because of medical inequalities and a historic distrust of the health care community.

    Long takes a different approach.

    “I am no longer a victim to the health care community by saying what they’re not doing,” she told WTOP. “What can we do to live healthier lifestyles? I want us to know that we own this. That’s the message I give to younger women.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link

  • World Maternal Mental Health Day: Nonprofit shares how day aims to help new moms struggling with mental health – WTOP News

    World Maternal Mental Health Day: Nonprofit shares how day aims to help new moms struggling with mental health – WTOP News

    [ad_1]

    A day of worldwide support aims to help new moms struggling with mental health conditions. 

    Jennifer Davis with her two children, Jordyn, 11, and AJ, 4. (Courtesy Jennifer Davis)

    A day of worldwide support aims to help new moms struggling with mental health conditions.

    Maryland-based Jennifer Davis remembers the mood swings, loneliness and sadness shortly after leaving the hospital with her daughter 11 years ago.

    “It was mostly anxiety and intrusive thoughts,” she said. “Not being able to just function normally after coming home with her. And I didn’t have the words to explain or describe what I was feeling.”

    Seven years later, the feelings resurfaced after the birth of her son. She kept her feelings hidden.

    “I had support systems, but I didn’t talk to anyone,” Davis, 40, told WTOP. “I was embarrassed, and I didn’t want to stress anyone.”

    Years later, she discovered through an online search that she battled postpartum mental health disorders after giving birth to daughter, Jordyn, and son, AJ.

    During that search, Davis stumbled upon the Postpartum Support International (PSI) website, a nonprofit group that supports new mothers with services like individual peer mentors, an in-depth physicians’ directory and monthly support groups.

    She said the information discovered would have changed how she cared for herself during the tumultuous time of being a new parent.

    “We’re trying to work through people not going through that because perinatal mental health disorders are so common,” she said. “There was a whole community of individuals who understood. If I had known that it would have been a game changer for me.”

    Davis is now part of PSI as a chapter program director.

    The group is teaming up with other national and international maternal support organizations on Wednesday to mark World Maternal Mental Health Day. May is also National Mental Health Month.

    The goal is to reach as many women as possible, said Wendy Davis, the executive director of PSI.

    (Courtesy Jennifer Davis)

    “The reason that we don’t reach out for help with any of the perinatal mental health disorders is that we don’t realize that’s what we’re going through,” said Davis, who is not related to Jennifer Davis. “We just think we’re failing. You’re afraid that people will think badly of you.”

    More than 800,000 women experience perinatal mental health disorders, including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis, every year but only about 25% of them receive treatment, according to PSI.

    And one in 10 men experience depression or anxiety linked to the perinatal period, Wendy Davis said.

    Many times, parents — who are adjusting to the sleep deprivation, exhaustion and common challenges of caring for a newborn — can’t distinguish between feelings that are normal and those that require attention.

    (Courtesy Jennifer Davis)

    “The high expectation of having a baby is supposed to be the happiest time of your life, compared to the real experience, is hard,” the executive director said. “The outcome of that is to run and hide for so many people.”

    In addition to spreading awareness of perinatal mental health disorders, PSI wants to address the social stigma attached to the condition.

    The group has a new app and a campaign, called the Blue Dot Project, which aims to quickly connect more women to the help they need.

    Jennifer Davis said the group’s overarching message to women during pregnancy and the year after the baby arrives is to show herself some grace.

    “I would tell them, ‘You’re doing an amazing job right now. And just know that you can reach out and talk to someone,’” she said. “Just know that you are doing an amazing job.”

    Pregnant and postpartum parents can call the PSI Helpline for support and resources at 1-800-944-4773 (English and Spanish), text “help” to 1-800-944-4773 (English), 971-203-7773 (Spanish), or visit postpartum.net.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    [ad_2]

    Gigi Barnett

    Source link