Community Catalysts of California 2008’s Administrative Conference was a great success! It was held in Modesto and was a 2 day conference in February. The topic of discussion: CHANGE! We went over new forms, policies, and processes with Management and Administrative employees. We even had hands on training to ensure that everyone had a chance to try out some of the more challenging procedures! It wasn’t all work though! We had a great time at dinner at the Elephant Bar on the first night, and were provided a yummy breakfast and lunch on the second day. This was a great opportunity to meet new staff and spend time with our fellow employees. Everything seemed to be received well and we have already begun to see the changes being implemented by each office! Thank you to those who participated and who have taken the time to make the transition happen! consumer anniversaries 18 Years Beverly B. - SD 16 YEARS Rosa A. - EC 13 YEARS Riley N. - STK 12 YEARS Gylda G. - EC Denise L. - EC 11 YEARS Charles P. - FSO 10 YEARS Patrick M. - VIS Wayne H. - SD 9 YEARS Michael P. - SC Michael H. - SC David C. - SC Jason B. - FSO Leeroy B. - EC 6 YEARS Victor M. - SAL Donald P. - STK Richard W. - MCD Alex L. - SC 5 YEARS Bonnie H. - SD 4 YEARS Royce M. - SD Aletha R. - STK Carolyn B. - SD Long N. - SAL 3 YEARS Laura B. - FSO Rueben O. - SAL Yvonne R. - FSO Marilyn G. - FSO Barbara C. - FSO 2 YEARS Kimberly T. - SAL Miguel S. - SAL Omar V. - SAL PAO L. - FSO Marcus O. - FSO Blia B. - FSO Nadareh P. - FSO Randell L. - FSO Randy R. - SAL 1 YEAR Maria S. - SAL Tomas S. - SAL Jannett A. - SC Ralph H. - MCD Sanford C. - SC David G. - MCD WELCOME NEW STAFF We would like to welcome Denise Parga as House Manager, and Melody Thompson and Cindy Anduha as Direct Service Aides. We would also like to welcome our new Program Leader, Elizabeth Sandoval. CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to our winner Cindy Anduha for the Safety Incentive. CONSUMER NEWS February was a great month for our consumers! They attended a Valentine’s Dance and had a great time rockin’ the night away along with the staff! We hope that March is a great month for everyone! FEBRUARY We really didn’t do too much in February. Everyone was pretty worn out from the holidays and wanted to relax....so that’s what we did! GOOD TIMES AT THE PLUM HOUSE The Plum House had a “Champagne” dinner on Valentine’s day. They also had a BBQ on the only sunny day in February. We can’t wait for summer so we can spend more time in the beautiful backyard! CONSUMER ROMANCE Albert P. and Marie G. had a candle lit dinner for Valentine’s Day. Very sweet! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Allison J. celebrated her 40th birthday this month. She had one party with her mother at the Broiler Steak House and another party with her friends at her home. David S. had a birthday dinner at his parents’ house. Happy Birthday to Chris Guadagnoli! CONGRATULATIONS Ron Allen won the safety drawing this month! 2 WELCOME NEW STAFF We would like to welcome Janice Duncan to our staff. She was hired as a Direct Service Aide in February and we are happy to have her join our team! CAC EVENTS Our consumers enjoyed themselves at our February CAC event. The consumers voted on a Bowling and Dinner night which will be held on April 4th, 2008 at Moonlite Lanes and Home Town Buffet in Santa Clara. Awards Ceremony Alex Lasarve received his award for third place in our calendar sales event. Congratulations! Thank You Denise Mansfield - Program Leader and Marie Saavedra - Office Manager would like to thank Wendy, Jayme, Melissa, Sandy, and Claudia for all the information received at the “Got Change “ conference. The conference was both enjoyable and informative and the Santa Clara office is looking forward to implementing the new changes! 1Year Media Battou Lisa Birge Irma Manjarrez Carmen Valenzuela Bridgett Varela Employee Anniversaries 12 Years Sherie Kainz 6 Years Pebbles Dumon 3 Years Amy Foisy 4 Wellness Tips… COLORECTAL CANCER Colorectal Cancer Screening – Be Informed! Don't delay recommended screening tests, such as colorectal cancer screening, because you're afraid of the test. The benefits of early cancer detection generally outweigh any risks associated with a screening test. Delaying tests can mean missing an opportunity to find cancer early, when you have the best chance of fighting it. Most cancers can be cured if they're found early, when the disease is still confined to the original site and hasn't spread to other organs. Learning more about the test combined with preventative measures like eating a healthy diet and exercising, and you've equipped yourself with an effective one-two punch against a fearsome disease. Consider some of these questions that you may want to ask your doctor when discussing colorectal cancer screening. You may also consider printing these questions and using them as a reference when attending you next doctor appointment. Questions to Ask Your Doctor ..What is colorectal cancer? ..Do I need to be tested? Why? How often will I need to be screened? ..Who will do the exam? ..What is the screening test you recommend? Why? ..What's involved in screening? How do I prepare? ..How long does the test take? Can I return to work after the test? Can I drive? Will the test be uncomfortable or painful? Is there any risk involved? ..When will I get the results? ..What if you find something? Will I need more tests? ..If I have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, do I need to be tested before I'm 50 or more often than other people? ..Will my insurance cover the screening test? ..How much will my screening test cost? Terms To Know When discussing a colorectal cancer screening with your doctor, it is helpful to learn about some of the terms that your doctor may use in your discussion. ..Colon - The large intestines, which absorb water from undigested material and store it until it is expelled from the body as stool. ..Colonoscopy - An examination in which a doctor looks at the internal walls of the entire colon through a flexible, lighted instrument called a colonoscope. If polyps are found, they can be removed at the same time. ..Colorectal - Related to the colon and/or rectum. ..Double Contrast Barium Enema - A test which includes x-rays of the lower intestines taken after a patient is given an enema containing white dye, or barium, followed by an injection of air. The barium outlines the intestine on the x-rays. ..Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) - A test which checks for blood in the stool. ..Gastroenterologist - A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the digestive system. ..Polyp - A growth of tissue. These growths can occur in the colon or rectum and may later become cancerous. Colorectal Cancer Screening – Be Informed! Don’t delay recommended screening tests, such as colorectal cancer screening, because you’re afraid of the test. The benefits of early cancer detection generally outweigh any risks associated with a screening test. Delaying tests can mean missing an opportunity to find cancer early, when you have the best chance of fighting it. Most cancers can be cured if they’re found early, when the disease is still confined to the original site and hasn’t spread to other organs. Learning more about the test combined with preventative measures like eating a healthy diet and exercising, and you’ve equipped yourself with an effective one-two punch against a fearsome disease. Consider some of these questions that you may want to ask your doctor when discussing colorectal cancer screening. You may also consider printing these questions and using them as a reference when attending you next doctor appointment. Questions to Ask Your Doctor What is colorectal cancer? • Do I need to be tested? Why? How often will I need to be screened? • Who will do the exam? • What is the screening test you recommend? Why? • What’s involved in screening? How do I prepare? • How long does the test take? Can I return to work after the test? Can I drive? Will the test be uncomfortable or painful? Is there • any risk involved? When will I get the results? • What if you find something? Will I need more tests? • If I have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, do I need to be tested before I’m 50 or more often than other peo• ple? Will my insurance cover the screening test? • How much will my screening test cost? • Terms To Know When discussing a colorectal cancer screening with your doctor, it is helpful to learn about some of the terms that your doctor may use in your discussion. Colon - The large intestines, which absorb water from undigested material and store it until it is expelled from the body as • stool. Colonoscopy - An examination in which a doctor looks at the internal walls of the entire colon through a flexible, lighted instru• ment called a colonoscope. If polyps are found, they can be removed at the same time. Colorectal - Related to the colon and/or rectum. • Double Contrast Barium Enema - A test which includes x-rays of the lower intestines taken after a patient is given an enema • containing white dye, or barium, followed by an injection of air. The barium outlines the intestine on the x-rays. Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) - A test which checks for blood in the stool. • Gastroenterologist - A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the digestive system. • Polyp - A growth of tissue. These growths can occur in the colon or rectum and may later become cancerous. • Rectum - The last eight to ten inches of the large intestine • Sigmoidoscopy - An examination in which a doctor looks inside the rectum and lower half of the colon through a lighted tube. • Early Detection is Key to Surviving Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer - cancer of the large intestine and rectum - is a leading cancer in the number of deaths it causes. The good news is that it is nearly 90 percent preventable! Colorectal cancer develops from polyps which are growths on the lining of the colon and rectum that may become cancerous. Screening tests are successful in early detection of these polyps so that they can be removed before they become cancerous. Signs and Symptoms The colon and rectum make up the large intestine, the end of the long tube of the gastrointestinal tract through which food passes during digestion. The colon is the upper five or six feet of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last six to eight inches. Cancer begins to develop when cells in the colon multiply uncontrollably. These cell mutations result in precancerous polyps, small protrusions from the intestine’s lining. There are several types of polyps, and they become increasingly common with age. By age 50, 10 percent of the 6 7 Gloria Hamson Community Catalysts of California is proud to announce that Gloria Hamson selected to receive the Catalyst P.R.I.D.E. Award~Leading by Example for February 2008. Gloria has been with us as a Direct Service Aide in the Ukiah office for about 8 months and has already proven to be deserving of recognition for her excellent job performance and overall leadership qualities. Gloria has shown her commitment to the vision of Community Catalysts of California by consistently showing up to work on time, with a smile on her face and ready to provide service to two consumers who are in need of the most assistance in the area. She has excellent communication skills with her peers and supervisors and exercises her ability to solve problems on a regular basis while maintaining a professional manner at all times. She has proven that she is dependable and a team player and most importantly, committed to her consumers! Gloria encourages her consumers to make their own choices, and respects what they choose. By doing this, she empowers them to have control over their own life and gives them a feeling of self esteem. We appreciate the great service and dedication to the vision of Community Catalysts of California that Gloria has provided and would like to recognize her for her hard work and for Leading by Example. Thanks for Leading Us In the Right Direction! Consumer Catalysts of the Month March 2008 Earl LeClair Earl LeClair has been with the Independent Living program in Santa Clara for over 8 years. In that time he has made some great progress on reaching his goals in becoming more independent. Earl has been working very hard to accomplish many of his goals. Just recently he has accomplished one of his major goals of moving into his own apartment! He is very excited about this reaching this goal! Earl has also done a great job of maintaining his blood sugar levels through his diet and has been very disciplined in making sure he stays healthy. This has been a critical goal for him. Some of Earl’s hobbies are racing and listening to music and this is how he most enjoys spending his spare time. He also gives back to the community and does a lot of volunteer work. He has received many compliments on how helpful his volunteer work is to people. Earl definitely deserves to be recognized for being a great role model!