The grounds around Building 1071 on the NCI at Frederick campus are about to receive a new ecological improvement network. It won’t come with complex equipment, nor will it add to the campus’ ubiquitous metallic sheen of steam pipes or modules encasing crucial apparatus. Instead, passersby will only see five saplings.
Spring and rain are nearly inseparable in the public conscious. English speakers in the Northern Hemisphere have been repeating the proverb, “April showers bring May flowers,” in some form for at least 500 years. Geoffrey Chaucer even begins his famous Canterbury Tales with mention of the spring rains. Small wonder that rain and water are on the minds of staff in Environment, Health, and Safety as another Frederick winter turns to spring. But their thoughts are considerably less whimsical than proverbs or poetry. In fact, they’re all business.
Test your home for radon. I could think of at least 10 reasons why I didn’t want to. It was something else to add to the endless to-do list. The test kit would be expensive. If the test showed high levels, addressing the radon problem would be more expensive. In short, it was going to be a pain.
But as it happens, it wasn’t.
Sleep more, lose weight, eat balanced meals. This week these words are as familiar as an overplayed holiday carol as many of us once again make (and, all too easily, break) health-conscious New Year’s resolutions. But the staff in Environment, Health, and Safety and Occupational Health Services want us to add one more resolution to our lists for 2022. Thankfully, it’s easier: check the radon levels in our homes.
With all the talk around COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, it's easy to forget there's another infectious respiratory disease already looming: influenza. Flu season is going to look a little different this year, according to Sarah Hooper, nurse practitioner (CRNP), RN, manager of the Frederick National Laboratory Occupational Health Services.
We are all trying our best to lower our chances of contracting COVID-19, but certain circumstances still place us at risk. Occupational Health Services has been serving the NCI at Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory community by answering questions about the coronavirus and offering guidance on how to handle specific situations, like being exposed to the virus, living with someone who is sick, or traveling from another state or country. Here is some information that can help you make the right choices to keep you and your coworkers safe.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the biggest health topic of the year so far, but the 2020–2021 flu season is quickly approaching. With COVID-19 putting a strain on public health systems, it’s important to get a flu vaccine to protect yourself and your community from further illness and strain this winter. Occupational Health Services is offering a flu vaccine for NCI at Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory staff, including subcontractors and construction subcontractors.
As we try to stay connected to work, friends, and family while social distancing, we’re reaching for our cell phones more often—but is there any reason to worry? The best evidence says no.
For Kelly J. Lockard Toms, an associate in Occupational Health Services, Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is every month. Education and outreach efforts for cervical cancer are usually observed during the month of January. But as a cervical cancer survivor, Lockard Toms never misses an opportunity to educate women about the disease—and what can be a simple way to prevent it.
Jim Cherry, Ph.D., is the scientific program director for the Office of Scientific Operations under the NCI Office of the Director. He attended Shepherd College on a football scholarship where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology. He earned a Master of Science in biotechnology from The Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in biology with a concentration in biomedical science from The Catholic University of America. He specializes in molecular biology.
