HEALTHY SONS AND HUSBANDS: THE ULTIMATE MOTHER'S GIFT

CONTACT: Queen Mother Falaka Fattah
House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com

PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 1 May 2013 – Millions of women throughout the United States will be showered with gifts on Mother’s Day – Sunday, 12 May 2013. But what do Mothers really want? For African American mothers, having healthy sons and husbands are the ultimate Mother’s Day gift. Too many women in the African American community find themselves burying their sons and husbands whose lives have been shortened by strokes, diabetes, and cancer. Every four hours in the City of Philadelphia, someone dies from a heart attack or stroke. African Americans have a forty percent (40%) greater prevalence of hypertension compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. A higher prevalence among African Americans also exists for diabetes and cancer – particularly prostate cancer and the highest overall coronary disease mortality rates and the highest out-of-hospital coronary death rates. 

 The House of Umoja, Inc. is embarking on a mission to save the lives of men in the African American community through its kickoff of the City of Philadelphia’s observance of International Men’s Health Week. International Men’s Health Week, which was launched in 2002 in Vienna, Austria is observed throughout the United States and in a number of countries which include Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, The Netherlands, Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. On Saturday, 8 June 2013 from 9:00 A.M. through 11:00 A.M. in partnership with AmeriHealth Mercy, Spectrum Health Services, and Triumph Baptist Church, Vine Memorial Baptist Church and the House of Umoja, Inc. will host a “Prostate Cancer Lecture”. On Saturday, 15 June 2013 from 10:00 A.M. through 3:00 P.M., the House of Umoja, Inc. will host “Give Dad The Gift Of Life” at 1400 North Frazier Street and 5600 West Master Streets in Philadelphia. The event will provide free screenings with a rain date scheduled for Sunday, 16 June 2013.

“The House of Umoja, Inc.’s ‘kick off’ of the observance of International Men’s Health Week in the City of Philadelphia and the events we have planned are in alignment with the multi-tiered components of our ‘Think Green Peace Campaign’ which was launched in 2008 and our goals to move the African American community to eat healthier through the creation and maintenance of urban gardens which yield over 30 varieties of produce and has fed over 40 families; decrease violence and the current dropout rate, and develop a kinship in our community which will spread throughout the City of Philadelphia,” explained Queen Mother Falaka Fattah. 

For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc.’s kick off of the observance of International Men’s Day in the City of Philadelphia, contact Queen Mother Falaka Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com.