We haven't heard much about the flu this year -- but that doesn't mean it's not out there. Flu activity was "minimal" through early January, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But cases could still spike. It's not too late to get vaccinated.
A rare outbreak: Whether you call it "mass hysteria" or the less sensational "mass psychogenic illness," the outbreak of tics and vocal outbursts among a dozen teen girls in a New York town is a rare occurrence, experts say. And there's no need to worry teens nationwide will be affected by the publicity, they add: Such mass cases of "conversion disorder" only occur among closely-knit groups.
Mental health help: Most Americans with mental health problems get no professional help, a new government survey shows. Major reason: costs. About 1 in 5 adults reported mental health conditions in 2010, unchanged from 2009.
Andrew Becker, a director of media relations for the American Cancer Society, drew ire after posting a controversial blog post on the American Cancer Society’s website called ”Bald Barbie Demand Is an Over-Reach.” In the post, Becker said the Bald Barbie movement could “do more harm than good for kids and parents.”
“If they are mass marketed, many of these dolls will end up in the hands of girls who luckily aren’t likely to be touched by cancer in themselves or their mothers. But could they end up being terrorized by the prospect of it in a far outsized proportion to their realistic chances? There is no reason to create this sort of fear,” Becker wrote.
Outraged supporters of the Bald Barbie campaign took to the cancer society’s Facebook page, demanding that Becker be fired. Someone named Chanda called Becker’s blog post “callous talk.”
“There are little girls and little boys out there feeling like they no longer fit in – they no longer have children in their class they can relate to,” she wrote.
Becker took down his offending blog today and replaced it with an apology.
“When I set out to write, I wanted to raise questions about activism and social media around disease. I did not mean to imply that I or the American Cancer Society believes that sick children are not important,” he wrote.
A rare outbreak: Whether you call it "mass hysteria" or the less sensational "mass psychogenic illness," the outbreak of tics and vocal outbursts among a dozen teen girls in a New York town is a rare occurrence, experts say. And there's no need to worry teens nationwide will be affected by the publicity, they add: Such mass cases of "conversion disorder" only occur among closely-knit groups.
Mental health help: Most Americans with mental health problems get no professional help, a new government survey shows. Major reason: costs. About 1 in 5 adults reported mental health conditions in 2010, unchanged from 2009.
Andrew Becker, a director of media relations for the American Cancer Society, drew ire after posting a controversial blog post on the American Cancer Society’s website called ”Bald Barbie Demand Is an Over-Reach.” In the post, Becker said the Bald Barbie movement could “do more harm than good for kids and parents.”
“If they are mass marketed, many of these dolls will end up in the hands of girls who luckily aren’t likely to be touched by cancer in themselves or their mothers. But could they end up being terrorized by the prospect of it in a far outsized proportion to their realistic chances? There is no reason to create this sort of fear,” Becker wrote.
Outraged supporters of the Bald Barbie campaign took to the cancer society’s Facebook page, demanding that Becker be fired. Someone named Chanda called Becker’s blog post “callous talk.”
“There are little girls and little boys out there feeling like they no longer fit in – they no longer have children in their class they can relate to,” she wrote.
Becker took down his offending blog today and replaced it with an apology.
“When I set out to write, I wanted to raise questions about activism and social media around disease. I did not mean to imply that I or the American Cancer Society believes that sick children are not important,” he wrote.
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