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 school open house At Tai Sophia Laurel campus, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 20. A special open house and workshop on the transformative leadership and social change programs will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 28. RSVP to the office of graduate admissions, 410-888-9048, ext. 6647, or e-mail admissions@tai.edu. The school offers 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.
The institute will also offer a free wellness class Oct. 25 discussing the use of herbs and foods to support detoxification. Registration: http://www.tai.edu (keyword: free wellness) or 410-888-9048, ext. 6611.
Flu shots at Laurel Regional Hospital from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Russell Jones Conference Room, 7300 Van Dusen Road, Laurel. Inoculations will not be given to children or anyone younger than age 18. Information: 301-497-7914 or 410-792-7636.
Support groups
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 every 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.
Support groups at the Claudia Mayer Cancer Resource Center Cancer, 10710 Charter Drive, Suite G050, Columbia:
•Caregivers meet at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month.
•Breast Cancer support group will meet from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month. Registration: 410-964-9100, ext. 5.
Stage IV Breast Cancer support group will meet from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. the fourth Thursday of every month. Registration: 410-740-5858.
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.
Parents 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 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 Road, Laurel. Information: 410-772-9300.