Health Briefs 9-4

All area codes are 850 unless specified.

Blood drives

The Northwest Florida Blood Center will hold blood drives at the following locations:

•Sept. 14: Cope, Hwy. 331, DeFuniak Springs, 9 a.m. to noon and Cope, Davis Lane, DeFuniak Springs, 1 to 5 p.m.

•Sept. 16: Healthmark Regional Medical, DeFuniak Springs, 12 to 3 p.m.

•Sept. 16: Northwest Florida State College, Santa Rosa Beach, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Court House. Free movie ticket for all donors.

•Sept. 20: DeFuniak Springs Police, 355 Hwy. 90 E., 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Alzheimer’s support group

Crystal Bay Senior Living at Sandestin hosts an Alzheimer’s support group at 6 p.m. the last Thursday of the month. Call 267-1600.

Sacred Heart Hospital

The following classes will be held at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. To register, call 278-3600 or toll-free (877) 416-1600 unless noted.

•Diabetes education classes: Jenny Stuckey, registered nurse and certified diabetes educator, will host classes from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 7 and 9 for adults with diabetes who are looking for ways to manage their disease. Pre-registration required and a physician referral is needed to attend. Call 278-3683.

•Happiest Baby Class: Learn how to calm your baby at 6 p.m. Sept. 7 in the Family Birth Place classroom at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. Cost is $30. Registration required.

•Baby Weigh Day: For moms with healthy babies under the age of one year at 1 p.m. Sept. 8 in the education classroom on the second floor of the Family Birth Place. Registration required.

•Breastfeeding class: Breastfeeding 101 will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 14 in the education room on the second floor of the Family Birth Place. The cost is $10 per expectant mom. Registration required.

•Baby Basics: To help prepare future parents for the basic handling of their newborn, monthly class will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Family Birth Place education room. Cost is $10. Registration required.

•Baby blues: A discussion group for new moms at 10 a.m. Sept. 22 in the education classroom in the Family Birth Place. Registration required.

•Super Siblings: Class to help children prepare for the upcoming arrival of their new baby brother or sister at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Family Birth Place. Registration required. Children should be accompanied by their parents.

Weight loss surgery seminar

Dr. Jeffrey Lord, a specialist in weight-loss surgery techniques, will present “Weight Loss Surgery: Is It Right for You?” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in the Suite 3 resource center conference room. To make a reservation, call toll-free 1-877-416-1600.

Prostrate cancer seminar

In honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast and Dr. Kapil Puri,a board certified urologist, will present a free seminar, “Prostate Cancer: Awareness and Treatment Options,” at 10 a.m. Sept. 22 in the Suite 3 Resource Center conference room. To register for the free seminar, call 278-3600 or toll-free 1-877-416-1620.

Wound care

The Sacred Heart Center for Wound Care in Pensacola provides advanced wound care therapy to promote healing and a speedy recovery. The Sacred Heart Center for Wound Care team will begin seeing patients once a week in the Medical Office Building at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach. A physician referral is needed for an appointment and most major insurance plans are accepted. To make an appointment in Miramar Beach, call 416-2500.