And we’re off! This year's Health Corps members have started our service within the Pittsburgh area. At the beginning of September, all twenty members became oriented with the Health Corps. Now that it’s been almost a month, nervous bodies have quickly evolved to proactive ones.
We have now entered Fall and the wonderful month of October, which to many is a time for laughter, thrills, and of course, the start of pumpkin-flavored everything. For us, October is also the month of breast cancer awareness, depression education and awareness, domestic violence awareness, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) awareness, and Pregnancy and Infant Loss awareness; it is also the month of health literacy and many more health-related issues. A lot to take in? Members serve in areas both on and off of their host sites where they may (or already have) come into contact with individuals who have been affected by any of the issues above. For many of us, the work we do at each individual site will come back to these specific health awareness themes.
Even when our schedules seem busy, many of us have been able to successfully slide service projects in between activities. In just a few weeks, we’ve established a strong understanding of our communities and the importance of being un-biased, empathetic, and service-oriented individuals. On one hand, we have been enhancing our sense of camaraderie and companionship, and on the other, we have been developing the building blocks necessary to eliminate health disparities in our communities. We know that it may take one step at a time, or one member at a time for some, but we know that the end goal of a healthier population is something we all want to reach.
We just want Pittsburgh to know we’re here, we’re listening, and we’re ready.
