Public Health

Virginia Beach, Va. – September 11, 2026 -- British Swim School has launched the Jump On In Sweepstakes, giving families across the U.S. and Canada a chance to win a full year of free swim lessons plus a swim gear prize package.

The sweepstakes runs from September 8 to September 30, 2026, as part of the company's "Back to Pool" campaign aimed at getting families back into the water for the fall season.

Two winners will be chosen, one child and one adult

Because British Swim School serves swimmers of all ages, organizers will select two winners: one entrant under 18 and one adult aged 18 or older.

Fairfax, Va. – September 11, 2026 -- Three in four adults believe fear of exposure stops people with substance use disorder from seeking treatment, according to a new survey from Inova Health System.

The survey polled more than 500 Northern Virginia adults

Inova's eighth annual Act on Addiction survey found stigma remains the top barrier to care in the region. Fewer than 20% of respondents knew that substance use is classified as a brain disorder, one that alters brain circuits governing reward, stress and self-control. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents said raising awareness of that fact would reduce stigma in their community.

Trust in community support varies sharply by group

Just 48% of respondents believed their community would be supportive if someone openly discussed their recovery journey. That confidence dropped among women (44%), Black respondents (45%), Hispanic respondents (47%) and rural Virginians (43%).

New York – September 11, 2026 -- Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit that administers the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, marked 988 Day on September 8 alongside the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, urging anyone struggling to call, text, or chat 988 for support.

This year's campaign, themed "988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough," stresses that people don't need to be in an active crisis to reach out. Whether someone is overwhelmed, supporting a loved one, or just needs to talk, the Lifeline is positioned as available for any level of need.

The Lifeline has routed nearly 30 million contacts since 2022

Since transitioning to the three-digit 988 number in July 2022, the service has connected people with trained crisis counselors nearly 30 million times through calls, texts, and online chats nationwide.

Mainz – September 11, 2026 -- Constant background noise from white noise machines, audiobooks and headphones may be overwhelming children's hearing, according to Eberhard Schmidt, a certified hearing acoustician and president of Germany's Bundesinnung der Hörakustiker (biha).

Schmidt, who also specializes in pediatric hearing care, says ears are always "on" and cannot simply switch off. The real risk comes from a combination of high volume, close proximity to sound sources, and nonstop exposure -- not from sound itself.

Hearing develops before birth, around the fifth month of pregnancy

Unborn babies can perceive sound starting around the fifth month of pregnancy, Schmidt explains. While amniotic fluid and tissue reduce volume, loud repeated noise -- such as at concerts or noisy workplaces -- can still reach the fetus and should be limited during pregnancy.

Berlin – September 10, 2026 -- The Deutsche Sepsis-Hilfe e. V. has released a free children's book, "Papas kleiner Gemeinling," to help families explain sepsis to kids when a parent is suddenly hospitalized.

Sepsis, commonly known as blood poisoning, is the most severe form of an infection and ranks among the leading causes of death in Germany. At least 230,000 people in the country are diagnosed with sepsis each year, and at least 85,000 die from its effects.

The book follows a girl named Hannah as her father battles sepsis

Written by children's author Saskia Heinl and illustrated by Julia Hannes, the story explains in age-appropriate terms what happens during treatment and rehabilitation. It aims to acknowledge children's fears while offering reassurance during a frightening time.

Düsseldorf – September 10, 2026 -- Ahead of World Sepsis Day on September 13, pharmacies in North Rhine, Germany are urging the public to recognize four warning signs that can distinguish a routine infection from a life-threatening emergency.

Sepsis, once commonly known as blood poisoning, occurs when the body's immune response to an infection spirals out of control and begins damaging its own tissue and organs. Pneumonia, urinary tract infections and infected wounds can all trigger it. "Many people still associate sepsis mainly with an infected wound. In fact, any infection can trigger it," said Thomas Preis, chairman of the North Rhine Pharmacists' Association.

Munich – September 09, 2026 -- A new two-part investigative docuseries, "Seelenfänger: Der falsche Heiler," premieres October 13, 2026 in the ARD Mediathek and airs October 19, 2026 at 11:30 p.m. on BR Fernsehen, documenting families who lost loved ones after they trusted the pseudo-medical theory known as "Germanische Neue Medizin" (Germanic New Medicine).

The theory rejects evidence-based cancer treatment

Germanic New Medicine frames cancer not as a disease but as the physical manifestation of an unresolved psychological conflict. Followers of the theory are encouraged to reject conventional, evidence-based medical treatment -- a choice the docuseries links directly to preventable deaths.

Prague – September 09, 2026 -- The FDI World Dental Federation has unveiled "Generation Smile," a new global movement aimed at making oral health a lifelong priority for people of all ages, launched during the FDI World Dental Congress in Prague.

The campaign centers on a new platform tied to World Oral Health Day

Generation Smile serves as the flagship platform for World Oral Health Day, with this year's theme, "Join Generation Smile," inviting individuals worldwide to treat oral health as a core part of overall wellbeing rather than a standalone concern.

New York – September 09, 2026 -- A new episode of the climate interview series Net Zero Speaks features David W. DuBois, State Climatologist of New Mexico, discussing why extreme heat, drought, and water scarcity are becoming hyper-local problems rather than distant global statistics.

DuBois links declining snowpack and dust storms to daily life in the Southwest

Hosted by youth climate advocate Ivan Ransom, the episode examines how prolonged drought, worsening air quality, and declining mountain snowpack are already reshaping agriculture, water management, and emergency planning across the American Southwest. DuBois, who also directs the New Mexico Climate Center and chairs the state's Drought Monitoring Workgroup, argues that communities need hyper-local data to prepare rather than react.

Washington – September 08, 2026 -- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) is joining the global Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy community to mark World Duchenne Awareness Day on September 7th, a date recognized by the United Nations.

This Year's Theme Focuses on Access to Care

The 2026 theme, "Access Changes Lives," spotlights the need for people living with Duchenne and Becker to reach trusted information, knowledgeable care, appropriate therapies, clinical trial opportunities, and community support. PPMD says access should not depend on where someone lives or what resources they have.

"Access can change the trajectory of a person's life," said Katherine Beaverson, PPMD's Chief Executive Officer. She added that PPMD is committed to breaking down barriers so families can make informed decisions and benefit from scientific progress.