PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--States and cities across the country, including in Texas, Nevada, Washington, Florida, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and Washington, D.C., today issued official proclamations to join Good Days in the commemoration of Chronic Disease Awareness Day.
Every day in the United States, seven out of 10 deaths are caused by chronic diseases. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 25 percent of Americans have at least one chronic illness, and that number rises to 75 percent of adults aged 65 and older. The deadliest and costliest chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and obesity, are also the most preventable. Studies show that avoidable chronic conditions cost the U.S. hundreds of billions of dollars each year and as much as 86 percent of our nation’s annual healthcare spending.
In our hometowns, we must live healthier lifestyles, chart paths to healthier communities, and decrease the rate of avoidable hospitalizations. Good Days encourages self-directed community engagement, such as reaching out to local leaders to discuss community fitness opportunities, local farmers’ markets, and active routes to schools like bike and walking paths. Simple lifestyle changes, such as walking just 30 minutes a day, incorporating more vegetables and whole grains in daily diets, and smoking and alcohol cessation, drastically reduce the risk of contracting a chronic disease. Anyone and everyone can make a difference.
“We started this initiative because personal responsibility and awareness are key to solving a great deal of our national healthcare challenges. It is easy to forget that everyone has a responsibility to chip in,” said Clorinda Walley, executive director of Good Days. “This is the first time ever that we have numerous states and cities across the country joining us and we’re incredibly thankful for their support to raise awareness today.”
Although not all diseases are preventable, chronic disease sufferers must also be accountable. Stanford University has developed a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program that helps establish the skills necessary to manage self-health. Adults who feel confident handling a chronic illness often live longer, happier lives, and spend less time in the hospital. By taking better care of ourselves physically, we can alleviate the stress in our healthcare market and help lower overall costs.
Share messages of encouragement and love for chronic illness sufferers on social media using the hashtags: #CDAware or #CDADay.
Find CDA Day information and follow updates here.
ABOUT CHRONIC DISEASE AWARENESS DAY
Chronic Disease Awareness Day is sponsored by Good Days, a national, independent 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, that provides financial assistance to patients so that they do not have to choose between access to medicine they need and affording everyday living. Since 2003, Good Days has provided more than 800,000 grants and helped more than 500,000 people with access to healthcare resources.