Monthly Columns
Ageless’ Member of the Month
Mindset. It’s a powerful thing. It’s built billion dollar companies. It’s put a man on the moon. It’s created some of the world’s most powerful nations. For March’s member of the month, it’s led her on a cross country journey of health, happiness, and adventure. And on the way, she’s managed to lose over 70lbs in 2 years, even though that wasn’t her goal.
If Genece Hamby would have walked into our gym 2 years ago and proclaimed she was going to lose 70lbs over the next 2 years, we would have gladly taken that bet. It’s nothing personal. It was a bet placed purely on statistics. She had every possible excuse to fail: 1) she had just turned 60 years of age. A young metabolism with balanced hormones was not on her side. 2) Since 2007, she had lost her mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, and both of her cats. To say she had an excuse to be stressed and depressed would have been an understatement. 3) She was a female (obviously). From a physiological (not chauvinistic) perspective, women have a harder time losing weight than men, especially as they age. 4) She had moved from the San Francisco Bay area where organic, healthy food was on every block. Eating healthy was convenient and normal. In Illinois, it sometimes takes a 45 minute drive to find an organic supermarket. 5) She knew no one at the gym. She was alone on her journey. Studies continue to prove that working out alone leads to less success than working out in a group, hence the popularity of personal trainers and group classes. If she needed an excuse, she had plenty to choose from.
For most of us, just one of those roadblocks would have stopped us from reaching our goals. Not Genece. Her mindset, much like Abbie’s, doesn’t accept excuses. It accepts challenges. As Genece said, “I’ve given myself permission to have ups and downs on my journey. As my friend once said, ‘How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.’” That same mindset convinced her to pack her bags and head out West during the tech boom and start a successful consulting business. And then again, it convinced her a few years later, after moving back to Illinois to care for her mother, to become a successful artist, poet, and inspirational speaker. It’s no wonder she succeeded in dropping 70lbs in 2 years. Mindsets matter!
People with the growth mindset understand that there’s a huge difference between winning and succeeding. Winning satisfies our need for short-term gratification. It’s a destination. It’s superficial, and never lasts. It’s based on outcomes that contain too many uncontrollable variables. If you’ve ever played team sports, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Success on the other hand is about long-term development. It rewards persistence and hard work. It’s a journey. It starts deep within, and fosters continued growth and learning. It expects setbacks, as they provide feedback that we’re constantly stretching ourselves to the limits of our true potential. The difference between the two is as striking as the difference between night and day. Winning is a one-hit wonder. Succeeding is a lifetime achiever! Genece is a lifetime achiever.
So how has her mindset prepared her for success? “My biggest asset is first and foremost my deep commitment. I am determined that fitness is the highest priority. Crucial to losing weight is attitude. Focusing on pounds and the scale always set me back so I put my scale away and decided to care more about my tape measure, measuring once per month.”
Most importantly Genece says, “Permission is the golden word for successful and rewarding weight management program. The more you can give yourself permission to appreciate and value your body each step of the way, the easier it gets. The more you can give yourself permission to have ups and downs on the journey, the easier it gets. The more you can give yourself permission to keep your goals simple and bite-sized, the easier it gets. The greatest gift we can give ourselves on any program is to be gentle, kind, and loving towards our progress and setbacks.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
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Dear Editor,
Domestic Violence within Macoupin County is prevalent. It is destructive and can be both physical and psychological. It can affect anyone of any age, gender, race, or sexual orientation. It may include behaviors meant to scare, physically harm, or control a partner. While every relationship is different – domestic violence generally involves an unequal power dynamic in which one partner tries to assert control over the other in a variety of ways. The following statistics are all according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
We can see domestic violence inside the home: through the use and control of household pets. In one study, 85% of survivors who experienced co-occurring animal abuse reported that the behavior of their pets had changed. An even higher percentage of survivors who reported partners had harmed or killed their pet, have also reported their partner for domestic violence. We can also see an increase usage of firearms within the intimate partner violence home. A survey of contacts by the National Domestic Violence Hotline found (of those with access to firearms):
- 10% said their abusers had fired a gun during an argument.
- 67% believed their abusers were capable of killing them.
We can see domestic violence inside our schools: as partner violence is not exclusive to the home. There are many instances of violence between dating partners that begin in high school. Nearly 1.5 million high school students in the United States are physically abused by dating partners every year. Within those relationships, 13.4% of male high school students report being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.
We can see domestic violence inside our community: Macoupin County provides a specific set of needs for those victims and survivors of domestic violence. There are several complex concerns within a violent relationship that come to light once action has been taken. Safe Families sees a few main re-occurring concerns within the county:
- Survivors have fewer financial resources, making them more financially dependent on an abusive partner.
- The lack of rental units or other affordable housing options makes it more difficult for survivors to leave spouses or co-habiting abusers.
The Macoupin County Safe Families program provides support for residents as they journey the emotional endeavors to leave behind domestic violence. As a contributor to that experience, we will be hosting a Domestic Violence Awareness Walk on October 7th on the Carlinville Square. An event shirt will be included with a ticket sale. The online tickets will close 09/29 at 5pm. Tickets will be sold at 9am day-of event at the Safe Families booth. More information about the Awareness Walk can be found on our website at mcphd@mcphd.net. We urge Macoupin County residents to join us and rally against domestic violence together.
Juliet Wooldridge and Lilly Booth
Domestic Violence Advocate Coordinators
Community Health Worker
Macoupin County Safe Families
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Dear Editor,
Community Health Centers are the backbone of our nation’s primary health care system. We design innovative, integrated primary care based on what services communities need most — ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare for over 30 million people. In addition to creating jobs and saving lives, collectively we save American taxpayers $24 billion a year in health care costs by preventing and managing chronic diseases.
Community Health Centers are not ordinary medical clinics; we are also problem-solvers who reach beyond the exam room to care for the whole person by providing access to necessities like food, transportation, and housing. Community Health Centers care for everyone, regardless of insurance status. Nationwide during hurricanes, floods, and fires, and locally during the pandemic, Community Health Centers are first on the scene and are vital to keeping America healthy.
The 2023 theme of National Health Center Week is ‘The Roadmap to a Stronger America.’ Community Health Centers serve as the beacon of strength, service, and care in their communities. In moments of pain and loss, we offer support and love. In moments of triumph, we offer hope and a vision for the future. This year’s National Health Center Week theme takes us on a virtual road trip across America, highlighting the achievements and amazing work being done at Community Health Centers in every state and territory. Celebrate the uniqueness of our community and get to know others as we journey across the U.S. together!
Each day of National Health Center Week is dedicated to a particular focus area. We will be working with community partners to recognize and celebrate each of the following focus groups in our community.
- Sunday, 8/6: Public Health in Housing Day
- Monday, 8/7: Healthcare for the Homeless Day
- Tuesday, 8/8: Agricultural Worker Health Day
- Wednesday, 8/9: Patient Appreciation Day
- Thursday, 8/10: Stakeholder Appreciation Day
- Friday, 8/11: Health Center Staff Appreciation Day
- Saturday, 8/12: Children’s Health Day
As part of National Health Center Week 2023, we invite you to support Macoupin Community Health Centers, Inc. to celebrate our mission and accomplishments.
Christy Blank
CEO/Public Health Administrator
Macoupin Community Health Centers, Inc.
Macoupin County Public Health Department
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