FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— Besides the normal days we look forward to celebrating in May, such as Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day, May also has reasons to address some big health risks.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month as well as Military Appreciation Month. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, May is a time to take action and change the conversation around mental health. May has been celebrated as Mental Health Awareness Month since 1949, and has been a driving force in facing the challenges millions of Americans with mental health conditions struggle with.
One of these groups that deals with mental health conditions is military veterans. According to the 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, in 2022, 17.6 veterans committed suicide per day. The report also shows that in 2022, veteran suicides compared with 34.7 suicides per 100,000 people versus non-veterans at 17.1 per 100,000. The number has risen by 11.4 people over the 21 years the report has been going.
Another thing May is known for is American Stroke Month. According to the American Stroke Association, 800,000 people have a stroke per year, though as many as 80% are preventable. The American Stroke Association lists these as warning signs to watch for stroke using the FAST technique:
- Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
- Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.”
- Time to Call 911 – If you notice any of these symptoms, even if they go away, call 911 and get to a hospital immediately. Quick action can save a life.
The American Stroke Association also states that you can prevent strokes by managing your blood pressure, living a healthy lifestyle such as eating better and staying active, and monitoring health conditions like AFib and diabetes.
Lastly, May is also known for the weekend of May 3 and 4, which is National Firefighter Memorial Weekend, and the week of May 5-11 is Lung Cancer Action Week.
“In 2025 alone, it is estimated that 6,120 Hoosiers will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year. But there is hope,” said Tiffany Nichols, Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association. “Thanks to advancements in early detection, treatment, and research, the five-year survival rate has improved by 44% over the past decade. Raising awareness and funds for lung cancer research is more important than ever, and we encourage our community to get involved in Turquoise Takeover.”
The Firefighter Cancer Support Network states that in 2013, the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) did a study that found firefighters had a 9% higher risk of getting cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from it. Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer, and the study found that firefighters are twice as likely as others to get such a cancer.
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