Visual support

The Northeast Texas Macular Degeneration Support Group will meet From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the Friendship Room at Buckner Westminster Place, 2201 Horseshoe Lane in Longview. The speaker will be John Frederick, discussing "Assistance in Reading for the Visually Impaired." For information, call D. Mitchell at (903) 753-4164.

Transplant education

Transplant education will be the topic of a session from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Longview Dialysis Center, 425 N. Fredonia.

The event is free, open to the public, and lunch will be served. Reservations are required by Monday and may be made by calling Cici Harris at (903) 234-1452.

Dr. Ed Sanchez will discuss kidney transplants.

Diabetes support group

A free Diabetes Support Group session will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. May 27 in the Senior Circle Building, 3000 North Fourth St.

The speaker will be Jennifer Kranzman, director of clinical services at Longview Regional Medical Center. She will speak on "Pre-Diabetes."

Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing diseases in our world today in both adults and children, she said. For reservations, call (903) 242-3434. For information, call Kranzman at (903) 232-3608.

Refreshments will be served, and a question-and-answer time will follow the speaker.

Asthma camp in June

Texas Asthma Camp for Kids will hold one week-long session June 15 to 20, organizers announced.

The camp will focus on admitting children whose asthma is severe enough to prevent them from attending a regular summer camp, according to camp Director Rhonda Scoby.

The annual camp offers children with acute asthma an opportunity to have fun while learning more about their illness, how it affects them and how their asthma medications work, she said. They also learn what triggers asthma and how to better manage it.

The cost per camper is $150, which includes the $15 registration fee. Financial assistance is available through the Texas Chest Foundation.

To be eligible for the camp, a child must have been diagnosed with asthma by a physician. For information, to receive a brochure or to register a child, call the Health Science Center at (903) 877-7075 or visit the camp's Web site at www.texasasthmacamp.com.

Studying mental illness

Learn more about the causes and diagnosis of mental illness. Use the Longview News-Journal's online Health features section to find out the latest professional thinking on mental illness. Go to www.news-journal.com and click on the "Features" heading at the top of the home page and then "Health." Scroll down the page and look for "Health Spotlight" then click on the "mental health" heading in the topic box.

Share your information

Nonprofit groups and health care providers holding events open to the public on health topics are invited to share information by getting it published in the News-Journal. Announcements may be e-mailed to Mike Elswick at melswick@longview-news.com; or sent by fax to (903) 757-3742. For information, call Elswick at (903) 237-7737.

from staff reports