At American Medical ID we always try to be aware of what is going on in the news and more importantly, we try to recognize important events and holidays. Well, the second week in November was quite a busy one full with many important happenings and events!

First and foremost we would like to formally recognize Veterans Day and extend our most sincere appreciation to all of the Veterans of our nation. For information, please visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs site at: www.va.gov.

Also, here is a great link to a National Geographic article that explains what Veterans Day is, who it is for and why it is always November 11^th. There are some great pictures of Arlington National Cemetery. Click here: http://is.gd/4Tuc0

Did you know this week was also National Nurse Practitioner Week? We would also like to thank all the Nurse Practitioners that are the primary care providers of choice for many patients and many of our customers.

To find a Nurse Practitioner or to learn more about the services they provide, click here: http://www.npfinder.com/.

Finally, we would like to remind everyone that this Saturday, November 14^th is World Diabetes Day. According to www.WorldDiabetesDay.org, the purpose of this campaign is to promote awareness of diabetes and to help all those responsible for diabetes care to understand this condition.

As you can see, several major events occurred this week. Please take a moment to recognize the importance of all three.

Carthy Picton
American Medical ID
Marketing

Is it just me, or do the holidays come earlier each and every year?  I was at the mall today with my family and was shocked to see Santa was already taking photos with children!  I guess that means the Holidays are officially here!  What did I miss?  I thought we just made it through Halloween!  I feel like I must be behind on my holiday shopping already.

I do enjoy this time of year and the excitement that comes with it.  Working for a medical ID jewelry company is even more exciting since we will soon be launching several new product lines just in time for gift-giving!  It’s a thrill to be involved in the creation and implementation of  these new designs.  We try to listen to our customer suggestions and launch stylish new product lines.  Yet at American Medical ID we are always very aware of making all new designs still distinctly a medical ID.  We want our customers to be protected in those unforeseen situations!

So, keep an eye on our site over the coming weeks and watch your email for great sales and promotions. And, most of all, try to remember to slow down a bit and enjoy the holiday season!

Liz Gabel
American Medical ID
Interactive Sales Marketing

About this time next week many of you will be making those final tweaks to your costumes, filling your candy bowls and making sure you have plenty of batteries for your flashlight. That’s right…another Halloween night is upon us! While Halloween is all about fun and candy, there are still many important things you need to consider before heading out into the night, especially if your child has a food allergy.

We all know the basic Halloween safety tips but have you ever thought about the extra precautions the parent of a child with a food allergy must consider?

Here is a short list of tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) that is sure to help parents protect their children with food allergies during Halloween:

• Be sure your child carries emergency medication, such as an epinephrine auto-injector.
• Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.
• Accompany younger children as they trick-or-treat, or be sure they are supervised by a responsible adult who knows how to handle an emergency allergic reaction.
• Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.

You can even download a full version of these tips from the AAAAI site by clicking here: http://is.gd/4xRfX

At American Medical ID we know the importance of identifying those with a food allergy so we would also recommend that your child wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace, engraved with the foods your child should avoid, while trick-or-treating. To view some of our products, CLICK HERE.

For even more information about trick-or-treating and keeping your child safe during Halloween, here are a couple of sites we found helpful:

• CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/
• FAAN: http://www.foodallergy.org/media/press_releases/halloween09.html

Carthy Picton

Marketing

American Medical ID

Did you know that more than 23.6 million people have diabetes? Did you know that by 2025 an estimated 50 million people will be living with diabetes?

These facts are startling and it is for reasons like these that we feel strongly about supporting the hire of a National Diabetes Coordinator. Here is what our very own Rick Russell, President & CEO of American Medical ID, had to say about this issue:

“American Medical ID supports establishment of the office of National Diabetes Coordinator. It would represent an important step toward confirming our commitment to fight the already unacceptable rate of growth in diabetes cases. The sheer numbers of the newly diagnosed dictate the need for greater leadership and coordination as we attempt to respond, as a nation, to what is becoming a national health care crisis.”

What can you do to help? It’s easy! Click here to sign the petition in support of this cause: http://www.ncdp.com/programs/current/petition.aspx#1.

Now you can make a difference and have your voice heard on one of our nation’s leading healthcare problems.

Also, remember that if you have diabetes, wearing a medical ID bracelet or medical ID necklace could help save your life!

Carthy Picton

American Medical ID

Marketing