Monthly Columns
Ageless Member of the Month: April
It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe. – Muhammad Ali
Motivation: We all need it. Tony Robbins has made millions teaching it. Youtube has thousands of videos with millions of views broadcasting it. Authors, on a monthly basis, have made millions selling its secrets. Without it, the world will beat you down. Without it our weaknesses will never turn to our strengths. Without it, we never grow. Those days when the stress of the world seems like too much disappears in its presence. I need motivation just like you need motivation.
I love exercise. However, I despise cardio. I honestly hate it with a passion. The monotony of it conflicts with my exercise ADHD. I enjoy lifting heavy things, jumping over things, and running as quickly as possible over short distances. Rarely will I perform an exercise that lasts more than 20 seconds. Running marathons and biking 20+ miles, in my opinion, is just ludicrous. I envy the patience of those that accomplish those feats. And that is exactly why I was hesitant about starting our Spartacus training camp, which is essentially metabolic conditioning for males (aka manly cardio). It encompasses everything I loathe.
The class is just not hard physically, but it’s mentally draining. More often than not, your mind gives in before your body does. Running 72 sprints over the course of 60 minutes is humbling even for the most successful long distance runners. Performing 20 reps squats followed by 20 rep deadlifts, 20 rep log clean and presses, 20 rep floor presses, and 20 rep bent-over rows is as close to exercise suicide as you can get. It’s nauseating, drop-you-to-your-knees, hell on earth torture. Our first class had over 20 guys. 6 weeks later we’re down to 8 of the originals. In plain English, it sucks. Thank goodness I have Seth Bruhn, April’s member of the month, in my class. He’s all the motivation I need when I feel like waving the white flag midway through the class.
Seth was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Mantle Cell Lymphoma in April 2010. Yes, that’s the “c” word; the word that is most synonymous with death in the medical community. Even when the odds are in the patient’s favor, it can still take your breath away and instantaneously make your life flash before your eyes. And even worse, the treatment is often worse than the disease itself. Chemo is non-apologetic. It’s the medical community’s version of the atom bomb. It kills cancerous cells. It kills healthy cells. It kills anything and everything it touches. It doesn’t care. It’s nauseating. It’s weakening. It’s depressing. And if it doesn’t break you during its first course of treatment, there’s always the possibility of your cancer recurring, and you having to relive the nightmare again. You never truly beat cancer. You survive it.
Seth went through it all: multiple rounds of chemo, week-long hospital stays, and stem cell transplants. It was relentless. It stole his energy, destroyed his appetite, and made him weak, tired, and depressed. It beat him up the best it could. It gave him everything it had and more. And yet 18 months into remission, he hasn’t missed a Spartacus training session yet. Week in and week out, he’s busting his ass like everyone else. No excuses. No handicaps. He’s the true definition of a Spartan. As Ali once said, ““Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”
Since January, with his metabolism still trying to recover from chemo, he’s still managed to lose 23 pounds, just 9 pounds shy of his total from the very first Biggest Loser he competed in at Ageless prior to being diagnosed with cancer. His secret? Hard work and dedication. A man that is still receiving chemo and has every excuse possible not to exercise shows up at the gym almost every day. Not even the most devastating disease known to man can keep him down.
So when I’m lying on my back gasping for air and contemplating quitting, all I have to do is get a glimpse of Seth willing himself through an exercise, and I get my second wind. When I’m in the corner whining about how hard the workout is, Seth’s nice enough to let me off with just a smirk. I guess to a man that’s had the Grim Reaper tap on his shoulder, Spartacus seems like a trip to the playground.
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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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