Weekly health and fitness agenda: World Sight Day on October 14

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This month, organizers for World Sight Day, on October 14, hope to broaden awareness of the millions of people living without access to basic eye exams or glasses. Also this month, lather up with Global Handwashing Day on October 15.

World Mental Health Day
October 10
Worldwide

The World Health Organization (WHO) and mental health advocates globally encourage greater awareness about mental, neurological and behavioral disorders, their prevention and therapies. Hundreds of millions of people suffer from depression and other disorders that lead to "social isolation, poor quality of life and higher death rates."
http://www.wfmh.org/2010world_mental_health_day.htm


World Sight Day
October 14
Worldwide

Over "670 million people" worldwide are blind or vision-impaired due to lack of "access to eye exams and glasses" according to Optometry Giving Sight, an organization that supports the World Sight Day Challenge. The annual day devoted to sight awareness is focused this year on "Vision 2020: The Right to Sight," a global effort to prevent blindness created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
http://www.vision2020.org/main.cfm?type=WSD2010&objectid=3809


Global Handwashing Day 2010
October 15
Worldwide

This year's event focuses on educating children to promote handwashing in 80 nations worldwide since "poor hygiene and lack of access to sanitation together contribute to about 88% of deaths from diarrheal diseases, accounting for 1.5 million diarrhea-related under-five deaths each year." http://www.globalhandwashingday.org


Men's Health World Congress 2010
October 28-30
Acropolis Palais des Congres et des Expositions, Nice, France

The seventh annual multidisciplinary scientific congress for health professionals is devoted to advancing men's health with a focus on therapies, tools and new research in urology, cardiology, endocrinology, oncology, sexual medicine, mental health, primary care, public policy, education and aging. Registration ranges from €250-600.
http://www.ismh.org/en/

World Diabetes Day (WDD)
November 14
Worldwide

WDD, created by The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization in 1991, takes place annually to bring greater awareness to diabetes and its control. http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/


World Toilet Day
November 19
Worldwide

World Toilet Day is an international public health awareness day focusing on sanitation and the importance of healthy toilet habits and illnesses associated with poor facilities. http://www.worldtoilet.org/