Blood donations
The Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Region of the American Red Cross is requesting blood donations. Eligible donors can call 800-GIVE-LIFE to schedule an appointment. Platelet donors should call 800-272-2123.
Focus group
Howard County General Hospital's Center for Breast Care is looking for women who are living with metastatic breast cancer to participate in a focus group to help determine the services and resources needed in the area. Women interested in participating should contact Tina Evans, 410-884-4650 or cevans@hcgh.org.
The center guides women dealing with cancer through diagnostic and treatment options and includes personal support and counseling.
Calendar
Graduate courses offered At Tai Sophia Laurel campus, 7750 Montpelier Road. RSVP to the office of graduate admissions, 410-888-9048, ext. 6647, or e-mail admissions@tai.edu.The school is now enrolling for the following programs: master's programs in acupuncture, science in herbal medicine, arts in transformative leadership and social change. Graduate certificate programs include health coaching, herbal studies, medical herbalism, transformative leadership and wellness coaching. The institute is a nonprofit, accredited educational institution for wellness-based studies. The institute is at 7750 Montpelier Road, Laurel.
Healthy Eating seminars The Howard County Office on Aging sponsors the following eating seminars:
"Healthy Eating Around the World:" Nurse Rona Martiyan will discuss a variety of healthy foods eaten around the world, 1 p.m. July 26, Longwood Senior Center, 6150 Foreland Garth, Columbia. Information: 410-313-7217.
"Protein Requirements: Is Muscle Wasting Inevitable in Older Adults?": 10:45 a.m. Aug. 4, Savage Senior Center, 9525 Durness Lane, Laurel. Information: 410-880-5915 or http://www.howardcountyaging.org.
Support groups
Care for the Caregiver Participants can share an evening of personal sharing, answer seeking and being cared for and comforted, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Bon Secours Spiritual Center, 1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville. Meeting explores the emotions and issues about grief and guilt and the joy and satisfaction connected with giving personal care. Suggested donation is $15 (or what you can afford). Information: 410-442-1320.
Teens Together Support Networking group for teens who have or have had a friend or family member diagnosed with cancer will meet from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the third Sunday of each month in The Medical Pavilion, 10710 Charter Drive, Columbia. Contact Kelly Schwab at kschwabfam@gmail.com
Support/intervention programs Offered at Laurel Regional Hospital, 7300 Van Dusen Road, Laurel:
•Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m. Sundays
•Bipolar, 6 p.m. Thursdays
•Narcotics Anonymous, 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays
•Parkinson's, 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. Information: 301-776-3426
•Rehabilitation Sharing — strokes and long-term illness, 6 p.m., the second Thursday of the month. Information: Physical Medicine, 301-497-7901 or 410-792-2270. All programs are free. Information: 301-497-7914 or 410-792-7636.
Cancer support group for caregivers meets at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center, 10710 Charter Drive, Suite G050, Columbia. Mary M. Dowling will lead the discussion. Registration: 410-964-9100, ext. 5. Walk-ins are welcome.
Widows and widowers group will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at Jilly's, 10300 Baltimore National Pike, the Enchanted Forest Shopping Center, Ellicott City. Information: 410-740-5858.
Parkinson's education and support group will meet at 7 p.m. the third Monday of every month, 8180 Lark Brown Road, Elkridge. Information: 410-955-8795.
Parent and caregivers support group of children and adolescents with serious mental health issues meets at 1:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month in Room 204, First Presbyterian Church, 8325 Presbyterian Circle, Columbia and the last Wednesday of every month (except July) at 7:30 p.m. Faulkner Ridge Center, 10598 Marble Fawn Court, Columbia. National Alliance on Mental Illness support groups are free. Information 410-772-9300 or http://www.nami.org/sites/namihowardcounty.
Family support group sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness is offered to family and friends of adults with a mental illness at 7:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month in the Day room at Harmony Hall Retirement Community Center, 6336 Cedar Lane, Columbia and at 7:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of every month at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Room No. 3, 10755 Scaggsville. Information 410-772-9300.