MACOMB COUNTY, Mich.—McLaren Macomb, the 288-bed health care provider serving all of Macomb County, has partnered with the Sterling Heights-based Chaldean Community Foundation on a health initiative aimed to educate their community on the harmful effects of smoking and vaping. The Chaldean Community Foundation was a recent recipient of a Tobacco Control Grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Per the MDHHS, Tobacco Control Grants are offered to “assist community members to quit using tobacco, prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, and create policies, systems and environmental changes that protect people from secondhand smoke.”
With the rise in vaping among teens, the Chaldean Community Foundation and McLaren Macomb will focus a significant portion of their combined efforts on this group.
“We are happy to provide resources to support clients in their efforts toward quitting tobacco use and to refer clients to treating physicians,” said Martin Manna, president of the Chaldean Community Foundation. “A grant from the state and a partnership with a local healthcare provider are substantial strides for our organization to support the health and wellness of our clients.”
The Foundation will build awareness of the unique dangers associated with a vaping habit, accomplished through community presentations and discussions with school officials, among other informative activities.
While traditional cigarette and tobacco usage among teens has declined over recent years, the use of e-cigarettes has soared, with 26.7 percent of high school seniors reporting having vaped in the past 30 days. It is responsible for several hundred hospitalizations and dozens of deaths across the country.
When compared to non-users, e-cigarette usage is associated with a 71 percent higher risk for stroke, 59 percent for heart attack and 40 percent for coronary heart disease.
“Our organization, while always here to provide care for patients experiencing a health concern, also feels that we have a responsibility to provide for the overall health and wellbeing of our community,” said Tom Brisse, president and CEO of McLaren Macomb. “We are happy and excited to combine our efforts with another esteemed local organization that shares our vision and our goals.”
In an effort to help smokers kick their habits, McLaren Macomb hosts and facilitates a smoking cessation program at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Macomb, located on the campus of McLaren Macomb in Mount Clemens.
The hospital’s diagnostic imaging department also offers low-dose CT lung cancer screenings, a test to detect lung cancer in its earliest stages.
About McLaren Macomb
McLaren Macomb is a 288-bed acute care hospital located in Mount Clemens, Mich. More than 400 physicians and nearly 2,000 employees work at McLaren Macomb making it one of Macomb County’s top employers. McLaren Macomb provides a full range of services, including cancer and cardiovascular care. As Macomb County’s first verified trauma center, the hospital operates the busiest emergency department in Macomb County and is also an accredited chest pain center. McLaren Macomb has a rich history of providing high quality, compassionate health care and holds a strong position in the community it serves. To learn more, visit mclaren.org/macomb or follow our blog mclaren.org/macombblog.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a fully integrated health network committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 620,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services, and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 26,000 employees and more than 85,500 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 350 facilities serving Michigan and Indiana.