February is Low Vision Awareness Month, and there is no better time to protect one of your most important senses – your eyesight. Learning about the causes and risk factors related to low vision and scheduling a screening for yourself or a loved one is the key to protecting your sight as you age. If you are proactive about your health and wellness, then learning more about low vision is an essential component of good health and wellness.

he last Sunday of January marks World Leprosy Day (WLD). This international awareness day is an opportunity to celebrate people who have experienced leprosy, raise awareness of the disease, and call for an end to leprosy-related stigma and discrimination. This year’s campaign is “United for Dignity”, calling for unity in honoring the dignity of people who have or have experienced leprosy. The campaign honors the lived experiences of individuals who have experienced leprosy by sharing their empowering stories and advocating for mental wellbeing and the right to a dignified life free from disease-related stigma.

January is National Birth Defects Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about birth defects and highlight efforts to improve the health of people living with these conditions across their lifespan.

Radon is estimated to cause around 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States every year and is the second leading cause of lung cancer, according to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can get trapped in homes and buildings and expose the people who live and work inside, increasing their risk of developing lung cancer later in life. This risk is even higher among those who smoke cigarettes.

National Blood Donor Month, which has taken place each January since 1970, is such an important observance. Donating blood saves many lives and improves health for many people. According to the World Health Organization, “blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets, and plasma.”

Our liver is the largest organ in our bodies, and it performs hundreds of vital functions. It works hard and can withstand a lot of punishment, but it's like an elastic band in that it can only extend so far before snapping. One out of every three of us is at risk of developing liver disease. It's a quiet killer, and many individuals are unaware they have a problem until it's too late.

Increased cervical cancer screening and prevention are critical components in the fight against the disease. Because human papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes nearly all cases of the disease, vaccines that protect against the virus could prevent the vast majority of cases. Moreover, regular Pap tests might catch – and lead to the treatment of – the disease in the precancerous stage. By getting your appointments "back on the books," you may change the numbers.

National Glaucoma Awareness Month is in January, and it's a great time to raise awareness about this sight-threatening disease. In the United States, glaucoma is the primary cause of visual loss and blindness. Because glaucoma has no early symptoms, half of the persons with it are unaware they have it.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, we fear an occurrence of a 'twindemic'— as this pandemic might also cause a surge of the flu virus. Though with the current health protocols and restrictions brought by COVID-19, the current number of influenza-like illnesses have dwindled down way below the normal percentage in an average seasonal epidemic but we can't be too careful. If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, the first week in December is a great time to do it.

Every year on December 1st, World AIDS Day is commemorated. It's a chance for people all around the globe to come together in the fight against HIV, to express solidarity for HIV-positive people, and to remember those who have died as a result of an AIDS-related illness. World AIDS Day was the first global health day, established in 1988.