Big and colorful pennants, each about 12 feet in height, had been driven into the sand symmetrically about a central stage. Each banner gave a first hint at the purpose for our pilgrimage to the beach that afternoon. Still, the sun was so bright that I had to squint though my Transitions lenses, to read them all:
*PREVENTION!*
*Primary*
*Risk Management*
*Secondary*
*Surveillance*
*Tertiary*
*(Re)habilitation
*Diet*
*Fitness*
*Mental Health*
*Public Health*
*Community Building*
*Civic Engagement*
There were the banners, and there was music....I'm guessing it was a collage of the hip - hop artists of the moment, and we were all tempted to grab a drink and just party on the beach. No such luck, I found out - ! The music was building, and as a verse of the last song grew louder and LOUDER....then a whole phalanx of enthusiastic young people rang the stage to applaud on a relaxed, but authoritative looking speaker. The speeches began with this person's stem-winder: -
HELLO! THANKS FOR COMING OUT TO OUR PREVENTION RALLY. ASHA WAS NOT QUITE SURE THAT THIS EVENT NEEDED TO HAPPEN, BUT - WE'RE HERE AND WE'VE COMMANDEERED THIS BEACH UNTIL ASHA SAYS WE'RE DONE!
WHAT DO WE WANT? PREVENTION!
WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW!!
NOW - THE NEXT QUESTION IS - WHY DO WE WANT IT?
WE WANT PREVENTION IN OUR PRACTICES, BECAUSE WE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE. WE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE BY EDUCATING THEM ABOUT THE OPTIONS FOR THEIR HEALTH THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THE OPTIONS ARE RISK REDUCTION AND RISK REMOVAL; SURVEILLANCE; THERAPY. WE KNOW ABOUT THERAPY. SOME OF US HAVE DONE THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF THERAPY DURING OUR CAREERS. SOME OF US, MANY AMONG THE SAME GROUP WHO ARE THERAPY VETERANS, HAVE DONE MANY, MANY SURVEILLANCE OR SCREENING CLINICS. MANY OF US, THOUGH, HAVE NOT INCLUDED ACTIVITIES OR PRODUCTS IN OUR CLINICAL WORK, THAT ACHIEVES RISK MANAGEMENT.
Some of the crowd had been wavering on staying for the speech, before the beach side bar had opened. All virgin drinks, but everyone knew the event was stressing, there're healthy options for refreshment available. The other stuff will always be there, but adults get to choose - and make better choices - when they understand their options:
NOW, RISK MANAGEMENT - OR PRIMARY PREVENTION, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT - IS IT SOMETHING MOST SLP'S DO? NO. IS IT A SKILL SET MOST OF US HAVE? NO. WILL IT BE EASY FOR ALL TO TAKE ON A NEW SKILL SET? NO. WILL SOME SLP'S WANT THE SKILL SET? YES. WILL SLP'S IN ALL WORKPLACES WANT TO DO THIS? DO CHILDREN BENEFIT? YES! DO ADULTS BENEFIT? YES! DO OUR PRACTICES BENEFIT? YES!! DOES THE FIELD BENEFIT?? A RESOUNDING YES! WHAT DO WE WANT? WE WANT TO LOWER THE RISK. WON'T THAT PUT US OUT OF WORK? NO. WON'T THAT BE A SECOND JOB? NO. WILL IT CHANGE THE FIELD? YES. WILL THE PUBLIC KNOW US BETTER? YES! WILL THE PUBLIC BE HEALTHIER? YES!! DO WE WANT THAT? DO WE WANT TO DO RISK MANAGEMENT?
And the crowd yelled back, YES!!!
