Helping Communities Through Education and Outreach
Faculty, staff and students are involved in community projects that make a difference in people's lives locally, nationally and globally. Here are a few examples:
Nursing Students Without Borders Learn the Power of Prevention in Ghana, Africa
Ten nursing seniors traveled to Ghana, Africa during winter break with Asst. Prof. Valerie King to provide care to the people of the Kpando district. The Nursing Students Without Borders (NSWB) group brought 400 pounds of supplies and returned home with a renewed appreciation for the power of teaching and promoting good health.
"I now recognize that educating the nurses of Ghana is more important than any blood pressure clinic or day spent working in a hospital setting. While these interventions were important, it was in teaching our patients and colleagues that I think we made the greatest impact."
Jody Roper, UMass Lowell Senior Nursing Student
Find out more information about Nursing Students Without Borders
Preventing Diabetes in Lowell Area Youth
To prevent non-insulin dependent diabetes in young adults, UMass Lowell faculty and UMass Medical Center are developing nutrition and physical activity programs for children in the local area. The researchers are collaborating with the Lowell Community Health Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell with the support of a $200,000 grant from the UMass President's office.
"A preventable disease that can have devastating consequences, diabetes can lead toimpaired eyesight and kidney and nerve damage. We're especially worried about young kids because the longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk of complications throughout their lives."
Prof. Garry Handelman
Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences Department
Reducing Stress Key to Improving Health
The Stress@Work site suggests ways for employees and employers to identify sources of stress to tackle issues head on for both health and financial reasons. Although being overworked is one cause of stress, the real culprits are when employees feel that they have little control and no support from their work environment.
"Stressful working conditions cannot only lead to heart disease and other chronic illnesses, they cost American companies
more than $300 billion a year in health costs."
- Associate Professor Nicole Champagne
(shown left in photo with Suzanne Nogrega and graduate student Julie Brodie)
Community Health and Sustainability Department
Visit each department's web site to find out more about community-based learning opportunities:
Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences Department
Community Health and Sustainability Department
School of Nursing
Physical Therapy Department
Work Environment Department