Carol’s Corner
By Carol Fiedler, Parish Nurse

There are two seminars that I would like you to know about:

1. Taking Control of Your Diabetes Conference and Health Fair. Saturday, May 19, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The cost is $35 for one person or $25 per person for two or more registering together before May 11^th.

2. Hope Edelman, author of Motherless Daughters and Motherless Mothers, will speak about the effects of mother-loss. She will be joined by the local authors of Kiss Me Goodnight, Stories and Poems by Women Who Lost Their Mothers as a Child. This seminar will be presented twice – Friday, May 18 at 7 pm at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 60 Kent St., St. Paul, and Saturday, May 19 at 10 am at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Ave. S., Minneapolis. The events are free, but tickets are required. Call 612-672-7272 for tickets and directions.

Please see me or check the bulletin board above the coffee bar for more information about these two opportunities.

Child Abuse Awareness Month

April is "Child Abuse Awareness Month". An article from Prevention Child Abuse, America states: The first step in helping abused children is learning to recognize the symptoms of child abuse. Although child abuse is divided into four types – physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment – the types are more typically found in combination than alone. A physically abused child, for example, is often emotionally maltreated as well, and a sexually abused child may also be neglected. Any child at any age may experience any of the types of child abuse. Children over age five are more likely to be physically abused and to suffer moderate injury than younger children.

My daughter Christa is going to be a social worker and has the opportunity to do a term in Cook County, in Chicago. I told her she would see things there that she would never believe could happen to children. Then I thought about the reports of abuse in Hennepin County, - scalding, shaking, beating of children. We need to be proactive when it comes to abuse of any kind. Any abuse changes the life of a person, and keeping silent just makes the problem worse.

I have resources that can help people "break the chain" of abuse. Let me know how I can help you. Our children are our future. Please check the kiosk for more information.