Posted By: ivillagecares on

Thursday, June 28th, 2007, 12:21 pm

The greatest day in American history -- Independence Day -- is almost here. Across the country, barbecue grills will crackle with hamburgers and hot dogs and fireworks will light up the night time sky in celebration of July 4th.

In fact, this year Americans will spend millions of dollars on fireworks. How much? Well, last year the United States imported $216 million worth of fireworks alone from China.

Now I like a light show as well as the next person. But isn't there a better way for us to spend our money this July 4th -- a way that truly celebrates the fight for independence and honors freedom?

I think there is and it is called Operation Helping Heal.

Not familiar with it? That may be because it is a relatively new organization, one that was created in the wake of the war in Iraq. It was created to help wounded service men and service women who are met with financial difficulties upon their return from the Middle East and Afghanistan.

A recent government study found that a startling 63% of all wounded National Guard and Reservist servicemen and servicewomen, experienced "gaps in their pay which often resulted in financial hardship." The majority of the soldiers currently on duty in Iraq are Reservists and National Guard.

Might not some of that money we spend on fireworks to celebrate America's day of freedom be better spent on the people who are fighting to preserve it?

You can help make this July 4th memorable for you and an American solider by visiting Operation Helping Heal and making a donation right online. Go ahead. I did.

Posted By: ivillagecares on

Friday, June 22nd, 2007, 4:33 pm

iVillage Cares Advisory Board Member Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, President of Women in Cable Telecommunications

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." (Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972)

June marks the 35th anniversary of Title IX, the law that revolutionized education and athletic opportunities for girls and women. Better known for its significant effect on women athletes, Title IX has also had a huge effect on women professionals by providing better access to higher education and opportunities for advancement. But while Title IX has achieved much, there is still more work to be done.

As an athlete, student, engineer and business professional, I am a direct beneficiary of Title IX in so many ways. And whether we realize it or not, most women owe a great deal to this groundbreaking legislation.

I was almost 11 years old when Title IX was enacted and had not yet begun the track career that would lead me to win a gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

My passion for track was ignited a year later when, after failing at many other sports and activities, I began to win track events on my first try. This exhilarating feeling of accomplishment propelled me to win numerous local, state and national championships in middle school and high school. I attended the University of Tennessee on a full athletic scholarship and graduated in 1984 with a degree in industrial engineering.

Of course, winning the 1984 Olympic gold medal was the crowning achievement in my athletic career and a moment that I'll always cherish. Among my best memories are crossing the finish line with close to 100,000 screaming fans cheering my success, hearing the national anthem while on the victory stand, seeing the faces of my beloved parents bursting with pride and, afterward, having a parade thrown and a street named in my honor.

In 1988, after 15 years of competition, I decided to retire from track and field. Since then, my professional career has been quite diverse - I've worked as an engineer, an athletics administrator and now as president of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT), a leadership development and advocacy organization for women in the cable television industry.

It astounds me that without Title IX, very few of my life's most precious moments would have become a reality. In 1972, few women experienced the feeling of unadulterated joy that can only come from kicking the winning goal, crossing the finish line first, or achieving a personal best performance. In fact, only one out of every 27 high school girls played any sports at all compared with one out of every two boys.

There is a distinct correlation between women's sports participation and success in business. It's no coincidence that "more than four out of five, or 82 percent, of executive businesswomen played sports growing up - and the vast majority say lessons learned on the playing field have contributed to their success in business." (Game Face, From the Locker Room to the Boardroom: A Survey on Sports in the Lives of Women Business Executives, February 2002.)

Today, 35 years later, women that were educated in much larger numbers in the 1970s and '80s are beginning to reach an age and experience level where they should be considered for top executive-level jobs and board seats. In the next two decades, even larger numbers of women will be ready to assume key leadership positions in their companies. We all need to work together to ensure those leadership opportunities.

Considering how few years we've comprised a significant portion of the workplace, women have greatly advanced, but we still must overcome quite a few hurdles before we gain true equity.

Even in the sports world where we've seen many gains, boys still receive 1.7 million more high school sports opportunities than girls and 30 percent more college sports opportunities than women. There are attacks on the law from those who wrongly blame Title IX for the reduction of some men's collegiate sports such as wrestling and gymnastics.

According to a report by Catalyst, women are underrepresented in all top positions at Fortune 500 companies, making up just 16% of corporate officers and only 1.6% of chief executive officers; holding only 14.7% of board seats; and making up just 6.4% of top earners. The U.S. General Accounting Office reports that women still earn only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.

So even though women are a more integral part of the U.S. workforce, they are still being relegated, in large part, to jobs with lower pay and lower status.

Title IX created unprecedented opportunities for women in education, both on the playing field and in corporate America. Now, it's up to us to fulfill the promise made 35 years ago to ensure that all citizens, regardless of gender, have a chance to bring home the gold!

Posted By: ivillagecares on

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007, 11:12 am

Maria Menounos, Ambassador for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Diabetes Aware program with Novo Nordisk, addresses the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. Photo by Gediyon Kifle. 

My experience here on Capitol Hill has been positive, overall, but overwhelming for sure. I've never had to do anything like this. Politics is an altogether different beast than reporting so I was quite nervous but excited to be part of the day. It was encouraging to see so many people invested in the issue of Diabetes, particularly for someone who has been affected by the disease firsthand as I have been with my Dad being Type 1.

There were several things I needed to accomplish with regards to the disease during my trip to Washington and through my meetings on Capitol Hill. We need to change the way people think and act when it comes to diabetes. We need to take this disease seriously, get tested and be on the lookout for symptoms. Physicians need to be as educated as possible about the disease and the newest methods and techniques to treat and better manage it. And from a government standpoint, we need to shift from just treating diabetes to preventing it. The good news is that we weren't out there asking for more money. We already spend $80 billion dollars annually on treatment for diabetes; we just need to spend more of those dollars on prevention. If we just really enhance the interdepartmental coordination we can apply our resources better and lower the risks, complications and even occurrences. Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable, and by better educating people on Type 2 diabetes, we can lessen the risk and complications of it, and thereby lessen the healthcare costs of treating it.

I began my day having breakfast with and speaking to members of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus and select lobbyists and congressmen and women. Together we conferred on the previously mentioned needs through personal conversations and speeches. When I gave my speech, I ended up breaking down in tears. It is just so difficult for me to talk about the disease. I can't help but think of all the times that my father literally died and was revived due to low blood sugar comas. My entire life was dedicated to maintaining a 24 hour watch over him -- and not always successfully. I feel so badly for other families who are forced to endure and suffer through similar trials. Anyhow, I made it through my speech and was a little embarrassed over showing such emotion but hopefully I made my point.

Maria Menounos, Ambassador for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Diabetes Aware program with Novo Nordisk, addresses the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. Photo by Gediyon Kifle.  

Diabetes is something we really need to worry about as a nation. More than 20 million people have diabetes -- 6 million are walking around with it unknowingly. Type 2 is the most prevalent with 90 percent of people suffering from it and yet it is largely preventable. People need to get screened and they need to take the necessary steps now to avoid it. Diabetes is an awful reality for far too many people and it's a huge burden for our healthcare system. We could alleviate the health care costs and thus have a healthier country with early prevention and proper attention to diet and exercise. 1 in 3 kids born today will have diabetes. The number of Diabetes sufferers is expected to double by 2025. We need to act now. We need to change.

Maria Menounos, Ambassador for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Diabetes Aware program with Novo Nordisk, meets with Senator Thad Cochran. Photo by Gediyon Kifle. 

From breakfast, I was off to engage in a full day of meetings with various senators and representatives to hammer these points home. By the last meeting and by the day's end, I believe we made great strides in getting Washngton to more effectively treat Diabetes. I am so thankful to Novo Nordisk for arranging the events of the day and for putting so much towards this cause and for EIF, the Entertainment Industry Foundation, for selecting me to be their Diabetes awareness ambassador and for all their efforts toward various causes. I hope I can do even more in the future.

For more information on Diabetes, go to www.diabetesaware.com

Posted By: ivillagecares on

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007, 11:03 am

I've long said "it takes a village" to raise a child w/diabetes. But it also takes a village to fundraise for the cause. Let me tell you why.

From the moment my son was diagnosed nearly three years ago to this day, my older son has acted as his guardian angel. From overcoming his own fear of needles to learn how to inject jake, to becoming more than comfortable with the lifesaving techniques and judging insulin amounts under varying circumstances. Pretty remarkable stuff for a 14 year old. Hence the name of our fundraising and walk team, Brotherly Love.

So, it came as no surprise when we began planning our first annual golf and tennis open held this past monday, June 18, that the kids wanted to play an active role. "Fundraising isn't only for adults" said they. And they set out to prove it.

Develping their own cause celeb entitled "dollars for diabetes" and a youth committee of some 30 relentless kids ranging from 5 to 15. These fundraising demons attacked our community like nothing I've ever seen. Armed first with a logo, a possey of volunteers, a list of retail stores in which to place collection buckets (donated by a major pretzel company no less!), a schedule of key sporting events where throngs of kids and parents would gather, they attracted the attention of a family friend to supervise the group. So impressed was he with their efforts, that he anonymously secured dollar-for-dollar matching funds, motivating these kids even more. Relentless was an understatement. Armed (and yes slightly dangerous!) -- in their screaming orange Team Brotherly Love tshirts, they swarmed soccer fields, lacrosse tourneys, concession stands, school events and even got permission for a table in front of our local WaWa (a literal money machine of potential fundraising traffic indeed!!). And our world responded in spades, literally redefining for us, the power of community.

That some 250 friends and family gathered in blazing heat for an all-day golf and tennis event. That literally every facet of our life was represented. That some 35 friends served relentlessly on committees for nearly a year to secure everything from signage to diet soda. That some 65 incredible prizes worth over $50,000 (yes $50,000!!!) were donated and sat piled high in boxes in my garage, staring at me for weeks as if to ask "exactly when are you going to wrap us up as beautiful gifts??!!! And that dear friends took that task off my hands and morphed that cardboard mess into irresistable prizes. That volunteers carted boxes of supplies, goodie bags and water bottles in a ten car caravan (4x4s of course!) on fathers' day evening to set up until way past midnight. That a hot local dj volunteered his services to keep the kids busy while the adults did their tournment thing. That a detective volunteered his time and security to keep all of the gifts and prizes safe. That this list of amazing signs of community could go on and on, and yes, on -- moves me to tears.

As I sat in the main tent for dinner for our event I watched some 250-300 people sit mesmerized as my son spoke about helping his brother with diabetes. As our friends' 15 year old niece spoke about overcoming her fear of needles so she could gain back her much needed independence, you could hear a pin drop. Just as you could hear the crowd roar a few moments later when she also won the most valuable prize of the night -- exquisite jeweled earrings. Life works in strange ways. Especially as she told her sister she could wear them on her upcoming wedding day.

It was a day and night filled with a roller coaster of emotion. Great pride in both of my sons. Great envy for those familes who frankly don't need to mess with this condition. Great gratitude for those who donated every currency so generously that we barely had to ask. Great appreciation for the teachers and local Lions Club who saw a fundraising effort (and buckets everywhere!) extraordinaire and recognized it with significant awards for several of the children. Great attention as we sat listening to an incredible motivational speaker, Will Cross, who despite his diabetes, has climbed the worlds' highest peaks (with or without diabetes you couldn't get most of us to even attempt what his mesmerizing photos depicted). Great admiration for my husband and our dear friend who despite lives and careers in overdrive, found a way to chair this event that was oh-so-much-more-work than they ever thought! Great appreciation for my village that has never, repeat never let us down, but rather responded so generously that I'm out of adjectives to describe the acts of kindness.

Were still counting as the funds roll in but they were in the vicinity of $150,000. That will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation -- That's a lot of counting, one dollar for diabetes at a time.

I think about my son's closing comments monday night. He said "nothing would make me happier than to cancel this event next year -- that would mean we would have found a cure." I hope with all my heart we're doing ANYTHING but playing golf on June 18, 2008.