wfn.org | NCC issues 'Healthy Spa' Tool Kit

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of Churches Releases a Healthy Spa Toolkit to Commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Washington, October 26, 2009 - To recognize Breast Cancer Awareness  Month, the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program is releasing  a new guide to educate people of faith about chemicals in personal care  products.  

Some chemicals are linked to breast cancer, early puberty in girls, and  other health conditions. Made in the Image of God: Healthy Spa Workshop  Guide and Toolkit for People of Faith examines why ensuring the safety  of personal care products is a matter of faith, and includes recipes  that can be made at home or in a house of worship. 

The toolkit can be downloaded at http://nccecojustice.org. Additional  activities such as tools for public witness can be found online at  www.nccecojustice.org/healthyspa.php. 

Already the Council has hosted pilot workshops using the toolkit in five  states and Washington, DC. The response from women's groups has been  overwhelmingly positive as they learned about the connection between  cosmetics, breast cancer and other health problems; and they made their  own safer alternatives.  

"This toolkit presents a great opportunity to educate women's groups as  women and children are vulnerable to toxic chemical exposures linked to  breast cancer and other chronic health problems," said the Rev. Ann  Tiemeyer, director of Women's Ministries for the Council. "Woman and  teens apply two to three times more products daily than men. Meanwhile,  breast cancer is still one of the leading causes of death among women."
 
Low-income women are particularly vulnerable to chemicals in personal  care products linked to breast cancer and other health conditions. This  is due in part to lack of access to safer alternatives in local stores.   

Production and disposal facilities are also more likely to be located  near low-income communities, particularly low-income communities of  color. Additionally some products marketed to women of color, such as  hair relaxers, can contain chemicals linked to breast cancer and other  health conditions.  

"As people of faith we must stand with all women and especially  low-income and women of color to ensure that our cosmetics are safe for  consumers, workers, and communities," said Chloe Schwabe, Assistant  Director for Environmental Health at the Council.

Recently, the Rev. Mari Castellanos of the United Church of Christ  attended a breast cancer awareness event hosted by First Lady Michelle  Obama. "It is clear that the First Lady and the Administration are  committed to preventing and finding a cure for breast cancer,"  Castellanos said. "The churches need to get on board as well. I pray  that this new NCC toolkit will help educate people of faith about  chemicals in personal care products linked to breast cancer and other  chronic health conditions and lead to policy solutions that protect the  most vulnerable members of our society." 

Made in the Image of God: Healthy Spa Workshop Guide and Toolkit for  People of Faith can be downloaded at  http://nccecojustice.org/resources/index.php#environmentalhealthresources .
  
The NCC is the ecumenical voice of America's Protestant, Orthodox,  Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches.  These 35 communions have 45 million faithful members in 100,000  congregations in all 50 states. For the last 25 years, the Council's  Eco-Justice Program has worked to educate people of faith about issues  impacting the health of God's Creation and people.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 (cell) , pjenks@ncccusa.org