Nicole Balthazar, Regional Director of the Alabama Kidney Foundation, talks with Eric Phillips, program supervisor at Legacy of Hope (a non-profit organ procurement organization that partners with the DMV). Together they discuss issues facing patients with kidney disease including kidney health, dialysis, living and deceased organ donation, as well as the expense and strain on families. They bust some of the myths surrounding organ donation and stress the need for education. There are over 95,000 people nationwide in need of a kidney, including 1200 in Alabama as of this writing. Nicole and Eric promote an upcoming Kidney Walk on April 18th with proceeds going towards patient services and kidney research.

https://alkidney.org/
https://legacyofhope.org/

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In a continuation of our MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS series, clinical licensed therapist, Coleman Thompson, weighs in on the topic of ADHD. He talks about some red flags (difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, restlessness) but stresses it is important to rule out any other underlying causes. He discusses treatment strategies for both children and adults: setting realistic goals, structure, the use of technology, reward systems, and flexibility. He also highlights the strengths of people with ADHD including their creativity and depth of knowledge on topics of interest. Family support plays an important role for people managing ADHD. Resources discussed in the podcast:

The Anxious Generation by Dick Schwartz
Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder by Gabor Mate
ADDitude (digital online magazine) https://www.attitude.mag.com/
Huberman Lab (podcast on health issues) www.hubermanlab.com
Peer reviewed medical articles www.healthline.com

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https://www.anewleafcounseling.net/

Limestone County Archivist, Allynn Griffin, recounts the true story of Dora Jones - how a woman from Athens, AL brought modern day slavery to a national stage in the twentieth century. Shocking and sad, but also a story of hope, courage, and ultimate triumph over injustice. Listen to this compelling podcast.

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Limestone County Archivist, Allynn Griffin, has been in his new job for just over a year and has spent that time pouring over records housed in the historic train depot the archives calls home. With a background in the legal field and a strong interest in local history, he helps people find court records, probate records, newspapers, family papers and much more. The archives has been steadily digitizing records and visitors can browse the memorial website for genealogy research. As part of his work, Allynn has researched and written articles about lesser known but significant case histories from Athens, AL and we will feature the story of Dora Jones in a separate podcast....The Limestone County Archives encourages donations of family papers and other documents related to Limestone County for historical preservation.

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Dr. Angela Seay, health educator at D3 Health Fitness, talks about the connection between nutrition, exercise, and mental health. Her message: motion is medicine! Her advice is to start small, set realistic goals, and have an accountability partner. She emphasizes the importance of the mind, body, and spirit connection all working together in order to achieve wellness and stresses making one change at a time for 21 days until it becomes a habit. She believes "wonderful incremental changes plus consistency equals grand results!"

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ANXIETY is the second topic in our MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS sponsored by A New Leaf Counseling Center. Clinical licensed therapist, Coleman Thompson, explains anxiety may involve physical symptoms like racing heart and persistent negative thoughts, and often co-occurs with depression and stress. He talks about various forms of anxiety, including generalized, social, specific phobias, and panic attacks. Citing different age groups and their specific challenges, Coleman states only about 35 % of those suffering from anxiety seek treatment due to stigma. He talks about various clinical therapies and the importance of family support.

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https://www.anewleafcounseling.net/
https://nndc.org/resource-links/

Athens-Limestone County Public Library presents our youth librarian, Amanda Coleman, reading the classic scary story from Ray Bradbury: "The Black Ferris." A visit to the carnival will never be the same! Grab your popcorn and enjoy the ride!

https://www.alcpl.org

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A conversation with Lisa Hoffman, Museum Curator, and Monteia Moore, Campus Events Coordinator, from Athens State University. They discuss two exhibits coming to campus in November - The Wall That Heals and Vietnam Then & Now. The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. that travels around the country honoring our Vietnam veterans. Beginning November 6 with an opening ceremony, visitors can view the Wall twenty four hours a day through November 9. A special candlelight ceremony will be held Friday, November 7. The exhibit includes a mobile education center with displays of the Wall of Faces and items left at the original wall. Additionally, a Vietnam Then & Now art exhibit featuring Vietnam veterans and artists, David Wright and Chuck Creasy, will be on display at the Nazaretian Alumni Welcome Center from October 27 to November 30. Both exhibits aim to honor Vietnam veterans and educate the public.

https://www.alcpl.org/
https://www.athens.edu/the-wall-that-heals-is-coming-to-athens-on-november-6-9-2025/

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