Young women have thousands of messages targeting them each and every day. When it comes to growing up in the 21^st century, every corner you turn there is someone telling you to look younger, smoother and more tanned.

Girls are getting the message, but what are the effects? Tanning beds have grown in popularity over the past several years, with many youth trying their first tanning bed as young as 8 years old. Even with the World Health Organization classifying tanning beds as a human carcinogen, the tanning bed industry continues to grow and advertise to young women.

With images of bronze Hollywood goddesses in magazines and on television, it’s easy to understand why girls are flocking to the tanning salons. The sad truth is that one-quarter of young tanning-bed users report that their parents first introduced them to the practice. From there, it’s a steep slope to addiction, or so-called “tanorexia”.

It’s one thing to attack a young girl’s self-esteem at such a sensitive age; it’s even more astonishing when the attack is also on their health. With melanoma rates in young women on the rise, one must ask, who is to blame and what can we do? Do we blame the big bad tanning bed industry for targeting vulnerable youth? Or is it the parents who encourage their children to get a darker hue? Will a ban on underage tanning truly put a stop to this increasingly popular pastime?

The way I see it is that there are many habits and products that have “adverse effects”, the carcinogens in cigarettes are a good example. We know that they’re there and the harm that they cause, but the people still demand them. At least with a ban on tanning beds, there could be stronger monitoring; they aren’t exactly something you could turn around and sell on the street.  A ban on underage tanning will act as a buffer for young girls; it will give them a chance to really evaluate whether or not to tan.

Do you think Ontario will follow in the footsteps of Nova Scotia and British Colombia in a ban on underage tanning? Is an underage tanning ban the answer or is tanning a mere symptom of a much larger problem?

Recent news articles:

Victoria bans fake n’ bake for teens – The Globe & Mail
Blame parents for teen tanning habits – The Globe & Mail
Teen tanning-bed ban proposed under Ontario MPP’s bill – CBC News

The report, Cancer in Canada: Framing the Crisis and Previewing the Opportunity for Donors [PDF], specifically highlights pancreatic, stomach, lung, and colorectal cancers as the most underfunded diseases relative to their deadly impact on Canadians. In terms of charitable giving, these cancers represent an opportunity for donors to make a true impact on the lives of Canadians touched by these deadly diseases.

While increasing the survival rate of all cancers through prevention and treatment is always a key goal, the report points out that the need for palliative care—the care of cancer victims who will not survive—is significant and ever-growing. The availability of palliative care is essential  to enable cancer victims to “live out their lives in the greatest possible comfort, while reducing the burden on their loved ones and mitigating the escalation in Canada’s health care costs.” Funding palliative care would enables donors to make “an immediate and measurable difference.”

The DIVA Foundation supports this view of the significance of funding palliative care as part of the overall spectrum of treatment available to Canadians suffering with cancer and other diseases.

In 2009, the DIVA Foundation recognized Dr. Louise Coulombe, an Ottawa-based palliative care physician, for her extraordinary humanitarian help, care, and services to individuals, families, groups, and communities in the area of palliative care. She was awarded the DIVA Citation at the Celebrating Excellence in Hospice Palliative Care and Recognizing the Challenges luncheon hosted by the DIVA Foundation and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA). The DIVA Foundation provided a donation to four charities of Dr. Coulombe’s choice: the Friends of Hospice Ottawa, Roger’s House, The Hospice at May Court, and The Palliative Care Outreach Program.

DIVA continues to be a strong supporter of palliative care in the community. This past weekend, the DIVA Board of Directors participated as volunteers at the 6^th Annual Hike for Hospice Palliative Care event, helping with participant registration and distribution of event T-shirts. For more information about Friends of Hospice, visit their web site: http://www.friendsofhospiceottawa.ca/home.html

To find out more about the Charity Intelligence Canada report and related topics, read the story on CBC.ca.

General admission: $25
English series: 3 tickets for $65
French series: 2 tickets for $45
5 tickets: $100
Students: $10
Seniors: $15

The first presentation, “Real Life Meets the Workplace – A Legal Primer”, featuring Janice Payne and a panel of her colleagues from Nelligan, O’Brien & Payne takes place on May 19 at the Southway Inn in Ottawa. Get your tickets now!

Drawing on their experience providing advice to employees and employers, nationally recognised employment law lawyer Janice Payne, along with Ainslie Benedict, Julie Skinner, and Ella Forbes-Chilibeck will canvass common legal issues that arise in the workplace. The panel will explore how legislators, arbitrators, and courts are gradually re-writing workplace law to acknowledge and address changing workplaces and the challenges of juggling “real life”—child care, elder care, family status, illness—with the expectations of employers. Visit the DIVA Foundation web site for complete information: http://divafoundation.org/sessions.html#Payne

All are welcome to attend and join the panel for a lively discussion of these issues. Refreshments will also be served.  Tickets are $25 (general admission), or $15 for students.

For tickets, email tickets@divafoundation.org or call Darlene at 613 444 0123.

S’inspirant de leur expérience de la communication de conseils aux employés et employeurs, quatre avocates du groupe du droit du travail de Nelligan O’Brien Payne exploreront des enjeux juridiques courants qui se présentent en milieu de travail. Ce groupe d’expertes, mené par Janice Payne, avocate de renommée nationale spécialisée en droit du travail, examinera comment les législateurs, les arbitres et les tribunaux refont le droit du travail pour tenir compte de l’évolution du milieu du travail et des défis que pose la conciliation entre la vie personnelle – soins des enfants et des aînés, situation familiale, maladie – et les attentes des employeurs. Janice, Ainslie Benedict, Julie Skinner et Ella Forbes-Chilibeck vous attendent avec une discussion animée de ces enjeux.

Qui?
Janice Payne, avocate, groupe du droit du travail Nelligan O’Brien Payne
Ainslie Benedict, avocate, groupe du droit du travail Nelligan O’Brien Payne
Julie Skinner, avocate, groupe du droit du travail Nelligan O’Brien Payne
Ella Forbes-Chilibeck, avocate, groupe du droit du travail Nelligan O’Brien Payne
 
Quand?
Le jeudi 19 mai 2011; 19 h – 21 h
 
Où?
Southway Inn of Ottawa
2431, rue Bank
Ottawa, ON K1V 8R9

Billets:
Entrée : 25 $
Série en anglais : 3 billets 65 $
Série en français : 2 billets 45 $
5 billets : 100 $
Étudiants : 10 $
Aînés : 15 $
Courriel tickets@divafoundation.org ou téléphoner à Darlene au 613-444-0123

Des rafraîchissements seront servis.

• Dix-huit trous de golf format meilleure balle par groupe à chaque coup (scramble), avec chariot
• Clinique de golf avec des pros
• Encan silencieux
• Dîner et souper

Objectif
Amasser des fonds pour l’édition 2012 de la série de conférences de la Fondation DIVA. La série de conférences permet d’offrir aux femmes de l’information facile d’accès au sujet de la santé des femmes. L’édition 2012 de la série de conférences mettra l’accent sur les quatre piliers de la santé des femmes : la santé physique, mentale, sociale et financière. Les conférences mettront en vedette des experts reconnus des domaines reliés à la santé des femmes. La série comportera cinq conférences qui seront offertes à Ottawa ou à Gatineau, soit en anglais soit en français. Pour en savoir davantage au sujet des séries de conférences de la Fondation DIVA, cliquez ici.
 
Occasions de commandite
Occasions de commandite disponibles (golf@divafoundation.org).

Billets
Courriel: golf@divafoundation.org ou téléphonez à Allyne au 613-730-3535.

La Fondation Diva a créé la série de conférences en 2000 dans le but d’offrir aux femmes des occasions d’éducation abordables sur des enjeux importants qui les touchent. Pendant sept ans, la Fondation a présenté une série de conférences axées sur la prévention de la maladie, des modes de vie sains et des solutions de rechange aux traitements traditionnels des maladies touchant les femmes. 

Après une interruption de quelques années et en réponse à la demande populaire, nous relançons en 2011 la série de conférences.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez cliquer ici.

• women are less likely to recognize the symptoms of these diseases and seek treatment quickly
• men and women are often treated differently by the health system, with men receiving more prompt and proactive treatment
• women have a number of unique risks, such as pregnancy and menopause.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has been running The Heart Truth campaign since 2008, to help educate women about their risk of heart disease and stroke. Visit the campaign’s web site, http://www.thehearttruth.ca/, to find out more about your risks, how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle, and how to help spread the word to other women about keeping our hearts healthy.

The event is being hosted by the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, a group of women who participate in the annual Weekend to End Women’s Cancers. The weekend consists of a 60 km walk; participants raise money through sponsorships. All funds raised go towards supporting research, treatment, and prevention programs for breast and gynecologic cancers at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. The Itty Bittys participate in the weekend as a team, and hold several fundraisers throughout the year leading up to the Walk to ensure that each team member meets the $2000 minimum raised to be permitted to walk.

For information about the Wine Sampling, or to reserve your spot, go to The Weekend Ontario Wine Fundraiser web site. Note that space is limited, and early bird registration ends on January 14.

The “Financial Lives of Girls and Women” survey was commissioned by Barbara Stewart, a portfolio manager at Cumberland Private Wealth Management Inc. The results indicate that women tend to be privately confident about their financial planning abilities, and an overwhelming majority of women are the key decision-makers in their households when it comes to personal finances. Over 90% of women are responsible for household spending, and often have the final word when it comes to family finances.

The survey showed that women have a lack of interest in conventional financial news sources (which tend to be geared toward male consumers). Women tend to prefer to rely on real-life examples provided in newspaper and television stories to help them make financial planning decisions.

The results of Stewart’s survey contradict the commonly-held assumption that women leave the financial planning to men.

To read more about the survey “The Financial Lives of Girls and Women”, see:

• The White Paper (PDF) prepared by Barbara Stewart.
• This article on advisor.ca.
• This article in The Globe and Mail.