Surviving adolescence together

Parents and daughters can learn to understand this transitional period and grow together by attending a free lecture sponsored by Winthrop-University Hospital's Parenting Today program, "Surviving Adolescence Together...Parents and Daughters," on Thursday, Feb. 7.The program will begin with registration at 6:30 p.m., followed by a lecture at 7 p.m. It will be held at the Winthrop Community Outreach Center, 101 Mineola Boulevard in Mineola, at the corner of Second Street. Parking and the entrance are available at the rear of the building.Speakers at the lecture will focus on the choices young women face, the pressure to succeed and the role of the parent during this transitional time. A question and answer period will follow the lecture.The Parenting Today program is coordinated by Children's Health Services and the Department of Pediatrics, part of the Institute for Family Care. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Pre-registration is required. For information or to reserve your space, call 1-877-559-KIDS.

Community blood drive

Long Beach Medical Center will host a community blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the hospital's cafeteria. The blood drive is open to all members of the community, and no appointments are necessary.Although the largest surge of blood donations ever occurred in the weeks following Sept. 11, blood supplies are again reaching dangerously low levels. Blood is a highly perishable product, with red cells having a six-week shelf life and platelets a five-day shelf life, making a constant supply of donations imperative. Blood donations can be made every eight weeks. Donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health.For additional information, call Long Beach Medical Center at 897-1412.

Prostate cancer support group

South Nassau Communities Hospital's Prostate Cancer Support Group meets every first Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. The next meeting will take place on Thursday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room #2, located on the ground floor of the hospital. Edward Mullen, M.D., director of radiation oncology at South Nassau, will discuss "Prostate Cancer Treatment and Quality of Life Issues."South Nassau offers many other support groups, as well as health screenings and education programs, through its Department of Community Medicine. Its core package of services includes 22 support groups, more than 35 community-based health care lectures and seminars, a health education series, free health screenings, flu vaccinations and preventive medicine programs. For more information on the Prostate Cancer Support Group, or to find out about free and low-cost services or programs offered by the hospital, call the Department of Community Medicine at (516) 632-3980.

The power to change

Franklin Hospital Medical Center's community education program called "Healthy Mind...Healthy Body," will have its next presentation on Thursday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.The program will address "The Power To Change: Making and Maintaining Healthy Changes In Your Life," and will be held in the hospital's Shankman Auditorium, 900 Franklin Avenue.For additional information about this new series of community education programs, call Kathy Bradfield, MSW, at (516) 256-6440.

Other events and activities

Stroke Club meets the third Tuesday of every month at 8 p.m., in the Albert Conference Room, ground floor of South Nassau Communities Hospital, One Healthy Way, Oceanside. On Feb. 19 Kathleen Kellar, South Nassau's employee-health nurse, will discuss reducing your risks and improving your heart's health... Divorced and separated support group meets every first and third Monday of the month at 7 p.m., at South Nassau's Counseling Center, 2277 Grand Avenue, Baldwin. Upcoming meetings scheduled Monday, Feb. 4 and 18, Monday, March 4 and 18. For more information, call (516) 546-1370... The Alzheimer's Association, Long Island Chapter, is offering a free seminar about the difference between aging and Alzheimer's disease, on Thursday, March 28, 1 to 3 p.m., at Lindenhurst Library, One Lee Avenue, Lindenhurst. Call (631) 957-7755.... Look Good, Feel Better is a free program to help cancer patients look and feel their best during and after cancer treatment. It will be held at the Franklin Hospital Medical Center, 900 Franklin Avenue, on Monday, Feb. 11, 1 to 3 p.m. Compiled by Francisco Mejia