The Guardian Radio Show w/ Chief Saunders

This month's Blog Talk Radio focuses on how to promote the Project Lifesaver program to your community, with great fundraising ideas and suggestions from Executive Director of Palm Beach Project Lifesaver, Michelle Damone. In 2007, she was assigned as the Program Coordinator to develop a plan to bring Project Lifesaver to Palm Beach County. They enrolled their first client in July of 2008. In September of 2009, she was the recipient of the "Fearless Caregiver Award" by Today's Caregiver and caregiver.com, and in 2010, she was named "Most Valuable Member of the Year" by the Florida Association of Special Districts.

Mrs. Virginia International, Heather Thompson, will be on our show to talk about autism, her involvement, and what you can do to help! When her oldest son was 5, he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Today, it is estimated that one in every 110 children is diagnosed with Autism - making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. As Heather learned more about the Autism Spectrum, she realized that more teachers need to be educated on how to deal with Autistic students of all levels. Heather has since aligned herself with Autism Speaks, and serves as the Chairperson for their Richmond Walk Now for Autism School Teams Committee. In addition to being an advocate for Autism, Heather coordinates clothing donations for underprivileged school children within her community. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education at Western Governors University. Heather and her husband Kirk have been married for 11 years and are the proud parents of two boys.

This week on the Guardian Monthly, President of Vivre Medical, Inc. and Lifeguard30, James Ramsey, will explain a new device that helps store up to 30 pages of medical information that can be accessed by emergency responders. Store medical info, allergies, emergency contacts, and more with a digital device that can be kept on your key chain! Also, listeners will hear about a special discount available through Project Lifesaver. Lifeguard30 has been recognized as 2009's Best EMS Tech Innovation by EMS1.com.

The mission of the National Autism Association (NAA) is to educate and empower families affected by autism and other neurological disorders, while advocating on behalf of those who cannot fight for their own rights. They educate society that autism is not a lifelong incurable genetic disorder but one that is biomedically definable and treatable. The NAA also encourages those in the autism community to never give up in their search to help their loved ones reach their full potential, funding efforts toward this end through appropriate research for finding a cure for the neurological damage from which so many affected by autism suffer. The guest speaker for this broadcast is Wendy Fournier - President of the NAA. After several years in the promotional products industry, Wendy founded a home-based web development company that allowed her to have a career in web design and be a full-time Mom. When her youngest daughter was diagnosed with autism, doctors gave her little hope. She began to research treatment options via the internet, where she discovered that there is indeed a great deal of hope - autism is treatable. Wendy is committed to changing the perspective of autism from what was once considered a mysterious mental illness to a biologically definable and treatable medical disorder. She attends and speaks at conferences throughout the US. She works closely with non-profit organizations on a state and national level and runs a support group for parents of children on the spectrum. Wendy currently serves on the RI State Commission to study the education of children with autism, as a consumer reviewer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for Autism Research through the U.S. Department of Defense, and is a founding board member of the Gottschall Autism Center. Wendy and her husband Paul live in Rhode Island with their three children.

The mission of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), a national nonprofit organization, is to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families – through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life. Through a strategic partnership, AFA and Project Lifesaver collaborate on various projects to raise awareness and educate the public, family caregivers and professionals, including law enforcement, about dementia and the risk of wandering. Eric J. Hall is the president and founding chief executive officer of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City that unites more than 1,400 member organizations nationwide. Mr. Hall spearheaded the development of AFA to improve the quality of care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and their families; toward that goal, he has initiated major national initiatives related to early detection, training of healthcare professionals and standards for dementia care settings. A sought-after presenter and motivational speaker, Mr. Hall has keynoted regional and national conferences on Alzheimer’s disease and care issues, sits on leading advisory councils, and has been interviewed countless times by national and local media. Mr. Hall also sits on the Board of Trustees of Project Lifesaver International. Information in this segment will include: Info on Alzheimer’s disease, services the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America provides to families and caregivers, a discussion on wandering, wandering prevention, and how Project Lifesaver and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America work together to help those with Alzheimer's disease and their families.