OH! Magazine - Australian Version February 2016 | Page 6

( OH MY! ) FACTS & STATS Discover the latest health and lifestyle findings here. HELP BEAT AUSTRALIA’S #1 KILLER February is Heart Research Month – a time when all Australians are encouraged to start taking better care of their hearts. With heart disease killing four times more women than breast cancer and three times more men than prostate cancer, proactively taking steps to prevent heart disease, both personally and as a nation, is the most powerful action one can take to reduce these frightening statistics. From taking personal responsibility for staying fit and healthy to participating in the fight against heart disease by raising funds for life-saving heart research, there are many ways you can play your part in saving Australia’s hearts. There are many ways you can join the RED ARMY! You can clock up your exercise Kms or hold a fundraising activity, and get your family and friends on board to support you! Or why not just Wear Red and make a donation. Sign up to REDFEB now at www.redfeb.com.au SANDS COMMITS TO ENSURE THAT NO BEREAVED PARENT IN AUSTRALIA SUFFERS ALONE PROPERTY GOALS STILL TOP OF MIND FOR AUSSIES IN 2016 In a bid to ensure that no bereaved parent in Australia is left alone and isolated, Sands Australia has launched its inaugural Strategic Plan: Providing Hope and Understanding to Bereaved Parents Across Australia, 2015-2020. Despite recent news of a market slow down, property goals are still top of mind for Australians in the New Year. Despite the many advances in technology, research and medicine in the last decade, the rates of miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn deaths have not changed. Sadly, approximately one in four pregnancies will result in miscarriage today in Australia and one baby in 120 born will be stillborn or die within the first 28 days of their life. ‘Over the last 35 years, Sands has made great strides in supporting bereaved parents,’ said Sands CEO, Andre Carvalho. ‘We launched our first National 24/7 Helpline, created strong support groups across many states, launched our live web chat support service, distributed key resources and delivered thousands of information sessions to midwives and healthcare professionals.’ Sands is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support and information to parents and families who experience the death of a baby as well as offering resources and education to healthcare professionals. The plan, which is a blueprint for the next five years, focuses on developing and expanding Sands services ensuring that support and information is accessible to all bereaved parents in Australia, regardless of their location or cultural background. It also sets out initiatives to help healthcare professionals deliver the best possible care to bereaved parents including developing a new training program and national care guidelines. Finally, the strategy will also see Sands continue to drive public awareness of a subject that is still a taboo for many, encouraging a more open and informed society when discussing pregnancy loss. • 40 per cent of surveyed Australians said their financial New Year’s resolution is to save for a property, despite a predicted cooling in the real estate market. • Popular financial resolutions also include decreasing debts and budgeting. • Less popular were plans to save for travel, sort superannuation and spend more. Other top financial New Year’s resolutions were to decrease debts (25 per cent), to budget (15 per cent), save for travel (10 per cent) and get superannuation sorted (7 per cent). Then there was a small percentage that said in 2016 they were going to just enjoy their disposal income (2 per cent). Source: www.ybr.com.au Download the Sands Australia’s Strategic Plan from www.sands.org.au 6 FEBRUARY 2016 ( OH! MAGAZINE )