Emails by Jack Weinberg, Senior Policy Advisor USA/Global, International POP's Elimination Network (IPEN); Kathleen Burns, Ph.D., Director, Sciencecorps; Tamara Rubin, Executive Director, Lead Safe America Foundation; Beth Butler, A Community Voice - Louisiana, and Board of Directors, Lead Safe America Foundation; and Reghan O. Walsh, Health Education Specialist, Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program; edited by Elizabeth O'Brien, President, The LEAD Group Inc.

As The LEAD Group noted in the world’s first celebration of Lead Poisoning Awareness Day (or Week or similar) on October 20, 1997, that day was chosen because it marked the centenary of the world’s first publication in a medical journal (in Australia) of an article about childhood lead poisoning. The article was Lead-Poisoning Among Queensland Children by Jefferis A. Turner, Australasian Medical Gazette, 20 October 1897.

On the 21 December 2000, The LEAD Group declared that our health promotion charity would mark the Inaugural "International Lead Poisoning Awareness Day" on 20 October 2001 and "International Lead Poisoning Awareness Week" Saturday 20 October 2001 to Friday 26 October 2001. The LEAD Group has promoted these International awareness efforts every year since and in 2010, proposed to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the setting up of an International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. This has finally come about and the Inaugural International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action kicks off on 20 October 2013!

The following emails are examples of the excitement this proposed annual event has caused in the lead world, and the final email even suggests the declaration of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Month in October.

During the 13th annual US National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week on 24 October 2012, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced that “recently the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Ad Council rolled out a new partnership with the goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning in the United States.” See http://www.rwjf.org/en/blogs/new-public-health/2012/10/what_will_it_taketo.html

Now all we need is for every country to create similar partnerships to eliminate lead poisoning in every age group, and to coordinate these efforts across national borders, to build on the work that has already been done in countries where for instance, leaded food cans, leaded petrol and leaded paint have already been eliminated... thus spreading the benefits of good policy to the rest of the planet.

While putting together this issue of LEAD Action News, the DRAFT Declaration for Lead Poisoning Prevention Month in October, which follows this article, was prepared by Lead Safe America Foundation. Now we just need someone to research the data and globalise it!

From: Jack Weinberg

Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 7:44 AM

To: ipennetwork@npogroups.org

Subject: [ipenlistserve] International lead poisoning prevention week of action 20-26 October 2013

Dear IPEN Colleagues:

( http://www.who.int/ipcs/assessment/public_health/pb_campaign/en/index.html [see the flyer for International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2013 following this article. The English flyer is also available in French and Spanish.])

The theme will be: Eliminate lead paint.

IPEN will be encouraging NGOs in countries where lead paints are still widely sold and used to undertake some kind of action that week. Your thoughts on how to jointly coordinate and organize these activities are most welcome.

Jack Weinberg

IPEN Senior Policy Advisor

-----------------------------------

International lead poisoning prevention week of action 20-26 October 2013

Theme: Eliminate lead paint

Slogan: Lead free kids for a healthy future

The issue

Lead poisoning is entirely preventable, yet lead exposure is estimated to account for 0.6% of the global burden of disease, with the highest burden in developing regions. Childhood lead exposure is estimated to contribute to about 600,000 new cases of children with intellectual disabilities every year. 

Even though there is wide recognition of this problem and many countries have taken action, exposure to lead, particularly in childhood, remains of key concern to health care providers and public health officials worldwide.

The objectives

During the campaign week, the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (GAELP) aims to:

Raise awareness about lead poisoning;

Highlight countries and partners' efforts to prevent childhood lead poisoning; and

Urge further action to eliminate lead paint.

From: Kathy Burns

Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 8:06 AM

To: 'IPEN Listserve'

Subject: RE: [ipenlistserve] International lead poisoning prevention week

I think it would be helpful to establish a clearinghouse of information that has been used effectively in countries where lead paint was phased out, and that may be useful to countries where the struggle continues. We've all developed scientific, political, and public outreach materials, and while some good organisations do provide resources, there isn't a single point of access. That could be provided fairly easily, and include links to some of the organisations.

I've found that a combination of visuals (e.g., easily printable posters) with language that is geared towards specific target groups (mom, teachers, etc) is helpful when combined with technical info sheets for MDs, policy people, etc. I'm sure others have an array of useful materials that they've relied on. There has been extensive work done on this, so a wide variety of resources exist. Insuring that they can be easily located, tailored to local requirements and translated appropriately, could support efforts in a range of countries.

From: Tamara Rubin

Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013 12:05 PM

To: The LEAD Group

Subject: Come Meet Oprah With Me?

Hi friends! I truly love checking in with this petition and reading all of your amazing comments and stories. Thank you.

We just hit 450 signatures today! Wow! If each of you had one friend sign this weekend (just show them the petition on your smartphone? and walk them through signing? It's easy ... and immediate gratification!) we'd have 900 signatures very quickly - and if each of you had two friends sign we'd be at 1,350 signatures by MONDAY, please play this "game" with me and we'll all win.

I'm upping the stakes of my commitment here too. If we actually get connected with Oprah (if she responds and agrees to see the film) I am going to invite each and everyone one of the people who signs the petition to come see the film with us (hopefully you can all make it!) Of course I cannot guarantee this is going to happen - and I don't know where and when it will happen, but if she does agree to watch this film with me I can't imagine a more amazing group of people to share that moment with.

Thank you for playing! :-)

Today Heidi (my editor) and I edited all day and submitted the film to the Mill Valley Film Festival. The current cut is one hour and 40 minutes long. This week we also heard from 7 different state agencies and the EPA - all interested in hosting a "Special Engagement Preview Screening" of the film in October for Lead Poisoning Prevention Month... so I've been very busy following up with everyone - working on arranging these screenings! We're also working on a couple of focus-group screenings of the rough-cut & as of right now will be showing the rough-cut (with a focus-group discussion afterwards) in Louisville, Kentucky on June 23rd. Please join us if you can and email me if you would like more information!

Thanks again!

From: M. BButler

Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 12:34 PM

To: leadnet@mail-list.com

Subject: [Leadnet] October 2013 Lead Poisoning Prevention Month/ Film Screenings

Great news!

For those who haven't yet heard, the film *Mislead*, won it's* first award*last month, (even though it is still a rough-cut!)—Honorable Mention, at the International Film Festival for Environment, Health and Culture, held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

One of our main goals has been to create a vehicle that would allow us to educate, agitate for change and aid people concerning lead. Therefore, it is triple exciting that the Lead Safe America Foundation has just started booking "Special Engagement Preview" screenings of the completed film, "*MisLEAD: America's Secret Epidemic*" for Lead Poisoning Prevention Month in October, 2013.

We're excited to announce that first on board to schedule a screening is the State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services. New Hampshire has tentatively booked October 23rd, and is making plans to hold two public screenings that day. For available screening dates please look at the list below.

Each presentation of the film in October will be followed by a panel discussion about the issue and the film, with the panel to include the film's Director, parent advocate Tamara Rubin and a selection of other parents of lead-poisoned children, as well as experts in the field of lead-poisoning prevention. Runtime of the completed film is anticipated to be approximately 96 minutes long, and events are expected to last a total of 2-1/2 to 3-hours, depending on the length of the panel discussion.

Groups interested in hosting may include health departments, parent groups, advocacy groups, training centers, RRP-certified firms, schools, hospitals, maternity clinics, PTAs, universities, anyone, really. The events may be structured as outreach and education events - or as fundraisers for the organizing agency. Screenings may be held in theaters, churches, libraries, board rooms, conference rooms, class rooms - any space with an appropriate video and sound system.

Anyone interested in learning more about coordinating a screening of "*MisLEAD*" for Lead Poisoning Prevention Month, can contact the Lead Safe America Foundation by emailing leadsafe@mac.com (please type "October 2013 screening" in the subject line).

Kate Kirkwood is working with the State of New Hampshire to organize the screenings on October 23rd, and has found multiple agencies to help cover the costs. [Kate has offered to make herself available with guidance and ideas based on her experience with the screenings she is coordinating, if you would like to contact her directly.]

Many thanks to everyone who has helped make this film., and special thanks to those who work and struggle with lead issues.

Beth Butler

Board President

Lead Safe America Foundation

http://www.LeadSafeAmerica.org

A Community Voice – Louisiana

http://www.acommunityvoice.org/

*October Screening Schedule as of June 10, 2013*

October 1 - *Available*

October 2 - *Available*

October 3-13 - Tentatively Booked - California Locations

October 14-22 - *Available*

October 23 - Tentatively Booked - New Hampshire

October 24-29 - *Available*

From: Walsh, Reghan O - DHS

Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 1:27 AM

To: leadnet@mail-list.com

Subject: RE: [Leadnet] October 2013 Lead Poisoning Prevention Month/ Film Screenings

How exciting!! And a great idea to recognize Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. Can we get it changed to a month? Maybe we can get our states to name October as Lead Poisoning Prevention Month via Governor proclamations? It could help with the publicity. Thinking out loud...

Reghan O. Walsh

Health Education Specialist

Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

Madison, WI 53701-2659

Check out our Lead-Safe Wisconsin website OR call 1 800 LEAD FYI to learn how to protect children from lead poisoning.