Women & Children’s Hospital Receives Tobacco-Free Health Care Grant
Community will benefit from educational outreach and special events
Lake Charles, La. (September 24, 2012) – Women & Children’s Hospital (WCH) is the recipient of the 2012 Tobacco-Free Health Care Project grant, awarded by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Tobacco Control Program and its partner, Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (Southwest Louisiana AHEC).
WCH will receive $150,000 over a 30-month period to implement research-based strategies for comprehensive tobacco prevention, control and awareness. The grant is funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Tobacco use threatens our families and communities in terms of disease, death and health care costs. Through the Tobacco-Free Health Care Project grant, Women & Children’s Hospital will have the ability to positively influence social norms and empower citizens in our community to make healthy lifestyle choices and reduce tobacco use,” said Sherry Forest, neonatal nurse practitioner and program coordinator at WCH.
Program initiatives include eliminating nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke, promoting tobacco cessation, reducing tobacco-related health disparities, and preventing youth initiation of tobacco use. Students and community members will have access to the program literature and will be invited to participate in numerous events throughout the 3-year term.
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people every year. An estimated 6,500 adults in Louisiana die each year from smoking or from diseases caused by secondhand smoke. Smoking is linked to several chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Louisiana’s smoking prevalence is 22% among adults, compared to the national average of 17.3%.
“I am extremely thankful to all the staff who worked with me on completing the grant application process,” Forest added. “We have a big challenge set before us, but we are all passionate about educating the community about the harmful effects of tobacco use.”
For information about the Tobacco-Free Health Care grant or educational opportunities, contact Sherry Forest at 337-475-4102 or sherry.forest@women-childrens.com.
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About Women & Children’s Hospital: Women & Children’s Hospital (WCH) is an 88-bed, full-service acute care hospital located at 4200 Nelson Road, Lake Charles, LA 70605. WCH is the area’s preferred leader for Women’s Services and offers inpatient, outpatient, medical and surgical care for men, women and children. WCH is a recognized Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence and is equipped with a 24-hour, physician-staffed Emergency Department and a Level 3 Neonatal ICU. For more information about WCH, visit www.women-childrens.com.