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January Image JANUARY FACT
SIDS is ranked as a leading cause of death for African American infants under 1 year of age.

Since the national "Back To Sleep" campaign was launched in 1994, SIDS rates in the U.S. have decreased by more than 50 percent, the equivalent of sparing the lives of more than 3,500 babies each year.

February Image FEBRUARY FACT
In the United States, about 1,000 babies with sickle cell disease are born each year.

The U.S. Postal Service unveiled the Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Commemorative stamp in September 2004 to educate the public about the disease and promote finding a universal cure.

March Image MARCH FACT
Most children with persistent asthma over the age of 4 should have allergy evaluations.

One ragweed plant can release as many as a million grains of pollen in one day.

April Image APRIL FACT
Approximately 30.4 percent of all U.S. adolescents (ages 12 to 19) are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese.

Eating eight strawberries will provide you with more Vitamin C than an orange.

May Image MAY FACT
Among 10- to 24-year- olds, homicide is the leading cause of death for African Americans.

In 1816, the stethoscope was invented by the French physician René Théophile Hyacinthe Laënnec, who is generally considered to be the father of chest medicine.

June Image JUNE FACT
By the end of December 2003, 195,891 African Americans with AIDS had died.

The red ribbon became an international symbol of AIDS awareness during 1991. The organization Visual AIDS in New York, together with Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS, established the wearing of a red ribbon as something that signified support for people living with HIV/AIDS.

July Image JULY FACT
About 8.6 million people in the United States have at least one serious illness caused by smoking.

1973: First U.S. federal restriction on smoking. Officials rule all airlines must create nonsmoking sections.

August Image AUGUST FACT
In 2002, cardiovascular disease made up 39.6 percent of total deaths for African American females.

Your heart pumps a total of 8,000 gallons of blood 12,000 miles through your body every day.

September Image SEPTEMBER FACT
About 137,910 new cancer cases were expected to be diagnosed among African Americans in 2005.

Since 1928, the American Cancer Society has used the sword as its symbol as it continues to champion the causes of cancer prevention, eliminating suffering from cancer and saving lives.

October Image OCTOBER FACT
One in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.

Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in people 20-74 years of age.

November Image NOVEMBER FACT
People age 65 and older consume more prescription and over-the-counter medicines than any other age group.

Don't wait until you feel thirsty to start drinking. With age you may lose some of your sense of thirst.

December Image DECEMBER FACT
Tip: Eat together as a family as often as possible.

Keep healthful snacks in the house (fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain crackers, peanut butter, tuna fish, etc.) and limit high-calorie snacks.

We want you to know. Aetna.