Novartis launches Not Another Minute to educate Canadians and take action to bend the curve of cardiovascular disease (CVD)
In Canada, cardiovascular disease accounted for more than 52,000 deaths between 2015 and 20191.
Almost 80 per cent of deaths from cardiovascular disease are preventable2.
Novartis is joining forces with patient groups across the country to help reduce CVD deaths including the Canadian Heart Patient Alliance, HeartLife Foundation, Diabetes Canada, Canada Heart Valve Voice and C.A.R.P. (Canadian Association of Retired Persons).
DORVAL, QC, Oct. 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Today Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada launches Not Another Minute, a campaign to bring Canadians together in the fight against cardiovascular disease (CVD). Almost 80 per cent of all CVD deaths are preventable, and the campaign aims to educate the country to bend the curve of CVD.
CVD is the world's leading cause of death3 and, in Canada, someone dies from heart conditions, stroke or vascular cognitive impairment every five minutes4. That accounted for more than 52,000 deaths between 2015 and 2019; 52,000 families that lost a loved one each year.5 The disease also creates an enormous financial burden for Canada's healthcare system—more than $21 billion in 20196—impacting the country's ability to respond to unexpected health crises. Taking action against modifiable factors, like eating healthy, being active and living smoke-free can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke7 – a primary driver of CVD, and responsible for 85 per cent of all CVD deaths.8
"The risk of cardiovascular disease becomes greater if you delay seeing a physician and getting the proper treatment if required," said Dr. Robert Hegele, Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair, Martha Blackburn Chair in Cardiovascular Research, and Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario. "Some of the modifiable risk factors, including high cholesterol, contribute to mortality and disability related to cardiovascular disease. Many don't realize that cardiovascular disease is the number two killer of Canadians after cancer, so making sure you have your heart health under control can help reduce your risk of a cardiac event. The more people know about the dangers of heart disease, the better they can prevent it from happening, as even modest lifestyle changes can help."
With the goal of educating and reimagining healthcare through innovation, and bringing CVD mortality to the forefront, Novartis has joined forces with the Canadian Heart Patient Alliance, HeartLife Foundation, Diabetes Canada, Canada Heart Valve Voice and the C.A.R.P. (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) to raise the volume and make CVD a priority for Canadians.
"Cardiovascular diseases have a great impact on a global scale being the first leading cause of death, and they represent a huge financial burden for healthcare systems; Canada is not excluded. We're proud to come together with the cardiovascular community and have a unified voice for change to help reduce CVD deaths in Canada," said Andrea Marazzi, Country Head, Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Canada. "With this campaign, we also hope to spark more conversations around cardiovascular disease by telling the stories of those affected and at risk."
For the first time in Canada, a community of patients and advocates, healthcare professionals, opinion leaders, governments and businesses, influencers and innovators are coming together to break healthcare siloes and bend the curve of CVD in Canada. Novartis, committed to identifying solutions through a multi-stakeholder dialogue, is bringing thought leaders together at the Biome by C2 Summits in Edmonton, Toronto, and Montreal. The goal is to build and deliver a blueprint for change that can help reduce CVD mortality in Canada.
"Behind every statistic lies the harsh reality for the thousands affected by cardiovascular disease – the stakes are simply too high to ignore," said Durhane Wong-Rieger, Executive Director of the Canadian Heart Patient Alliance. "Cardiovascular disease is driving a silent pandemic in this country and our team is committed to taking action to create powerful and systemic change."
In one unified voice, Canadians can ignite attention and conversation around CVD by rethinking the disease together to give those affected more time with their family and friends. For more information, visit notanotherminute.ca.
About Novartis in Canada
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., a leader in the healthcare field, is committed to the discovery, development and marketing of innovative products to improve the well-being of all Canadians. In 2020, the company invested $45 million in research and development in Canada. Located in Dorval, Quebec, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,000 people in Canada and is an affiliate of Novartis AG, which provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. The company prides itself on its commitment to diversity and to nurturing an inclusive and inspiring environment. Novartis is recognized as a Great Place to Work®, ranked among the Top 50 Best Workplaces™ in the country and is proudly named on the 2021 Best Workplaces™ for Women in Canada and Best Workplace™ for Mental Wellness lists. For further information, please consult www.novartis.ca.
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1 Leading causes of death, total population (age standardization using 2011 population). Frequency: Annual Table: 13-10-0801-01 (formerly CANSIM 102-0564). Ottawa (ON): Statistics Canada:
5 Leading causes of death, total population (age standardization using 2011 population). Frequency: Annual Table: 13-10-0801-01 (formerly CANSIM 102-0564). Ottawa (ON): Statistics Canada: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310080101 . Accessed August 18, 2021
Meet the Four Cornerstones of Success —Then Start Building Yours
Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 26, 2021 ― Why do some people dive, some survive, and others thrive?The answer,revealsRandall Bell, Ph.D., is surprisingly simple: choices.
Dr. Bell, a socio-economist and the CEO of Landmark Research Group, has developed an easy-to-follow formula for authentic growth and success based upon more than 25 years of behavioral research.
In his book, Me We Do Be: The Four Cornerstones of Success, Dr. Bellmasterfullyinterweaves stories from his consulting work on high-profile cases—including Chernobyl, the World Trade Center, and O.J. Simpson—with findings from behavioral studies and his own survey of 5,000 people to reveal the daily habits that can make or break both personal and professional growth and success.
In Me We Do Be, he explains that all behaviors can be organized into four cornerstones:
Me is quality thinking that builds wisdom.
We habits form quality relationships.
Do actions build productivity.
Be designs the future.
There is no one-size-fits-all definition of success. For some, it’s making money. For others it’s having a loving family, winning a competition, completing a degree or beating cancer. The power of Me We Do Be is that it connects all the dots and creates a fresh perspective for moving forward, allowing readers to define what success means to them as individuals, while sharing the foundational elements that apply to everyone.
As a socio-economist, Dr. Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history, including the Flight 93 Crash Site, the BP Oil Spill, Hurricane Katrina and the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll.
Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is a frequent guest of the media and has been profiled in TheWall Street Journal, People magazine, TheNew York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, 20/20, Entertainment Tonight and by newscasters on every major television network. Dr. Bell also stars in the TV miniseries Distressed Real Estate, available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Available online and at fine bookstores everywhere
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Transcendent Journey Gives Doctor Insights into Life’s Greatest Question Website details transformational visits with spiritual presence
Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 26, 2021 — Why are we here? Minister and licensed psychotherapist Dr. Pieter Noomen consciously searched his mind for conclusive insight into this question during his evening walks. One evening, out of the blue, the word “Oneness” filled him. Day after day, a total of 12 words crystalized within him and around him. Those words became the basis for his 12 booklets, each of which explores the 12 components of life: Oneness, Love, Life, Fire, Space, Connectedness, Progression, Effect, Freedom, Joy, Differentness and Harmony.
Although the content of the 12 booklets comes from Dr. Noomen, he didn’t consider himself the author. “I 'heard' them within me when I specifically sat down to ‘hear’ them,” he explained on his website. “I listened while they formed in my head. I guess that the best way to describe this is to see it as a 'merger' on my spirit level of the voice/presence/spirit of Life itself and my ability to be consciously receptive for that — as much as a human being can be.”
Dr. Noomen’s connection with the higher presence would ultimately last for many years, resulting in an abundance of deeply profound insights freely shared on his website, www.wordsforall.org.
Visitors to Dr. Noomen’s website can read about the 12 components of life and ponder 147 thought-provoking questions and the illuminating answers that came to him during his extensive communications with the All Spirit. Avoiding the word God, Dr. Noomen relays his extraordinary journeys on the spiritual plane with an openness that invites readers to uncover and explore their own accessibility to spirituality without labels or constructs.
He grew to believe that, directly or indirectly, all life stems from one common source and that to connect with that source is the highest level of existence we can achieve on earth. And perhaps more importantly, he believed that being in direct contact with the ALL of existence is possible for every human being.
As to the answer to life’s most puzzling question, Dr. Noomen had this to say: “The consistent message in all Writings is that the purpose of being on earth is to make individual personal choices; choices that can either further direct contact with the real, full reality or can do the opposite and limit our experience of being alive …”
Dr. Noomen passed away in 2019, but his wealth of wisdom and insights freely shared on www.wordsforall.org will continue to inspire people throughout the world to broaden their spiritual paths.
"Self-help books, groups or gurus offer mental, social or physical well-being. These weekly words don't focus on this. They focus on our intentions, our choosing-ability. Which is why we are on earth in the first place. 'What' we choose is not the issue. We won't ever be judged anyway. But 'that' we choose is the issue; that is fulfilling our mission here. There are no exceptions to this."
End-Time Living Helps Believers Prepare for Second Coming of Jesus
Orlando, FL, October 25, 2021 ― When Jesus spoke to the disciples about his Second Coming, he emphasized the importance of preparing ahead of time for the end of days. As he cautions in Mat. 24:44, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man (Jesus) will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
“To be prepared for this troubled time will require understanding what will be going on and why,” explains Bible scholar David S. Heeren. “Otherwise, it will be scary, and many believers will take flight (mentally and even physically) as did the early disciples when they saw Jesus was about to be murdered.”
Heeren has written extensively on the topic of end-time prophecy, and in his fifth book on the subject, End-Time Living: Despite Conflict and Hardship, All Is Well, he trains his focus on the preparations necessary prior to the end-time and the power of redemptive love to minimize any tribulation.
End-Time Living draws its messaging from the second half of the Bible, featuring details from relevant sermons of Jesus (Matthew 5-7, 24 and Luke 21) and the eight chapters of the beautiful allegory, Song of Songs.
Included are 15 points of emphasis presented as keys to a God-honoring lifestyle; the true story of a 12-year-old Christian boy who openly expressed love for the man who beat his mother to death; the story of the enduring legacy of missionary Richard Wurmbrand and his underground ministry; and Heeren’s deeply personal account of his wife, Joan, and her tremendous capacity for love.
Despite the perilous end of days setting that forms the backdrop for End-Time Living, Heeren centers his narrative on the reasons why believers should remain hopeful that any tribulation will be short-lived, and the rewards for those who stand firm for Him until the end will be everlasting.
“We should be happy and hopeful because we are headed for a victorious finale, the Second Coming of Jesus, which will be a cause of celebration to millions upon millions of people who will meet Him in the air,” Heeren says.
David S. Heeren is an award-winning journalist and author of 17 books. A personal prayer identical to that of Isaiah (Is. 6:8) led him to change his career emphasis from sports writing to Christian writing in 2007. Since that time, he has published nine books with Christian themes, five of which deal with biblical end-time prophecy. His previous book, The High Sign, which identifies the most likely sign of Jesus’ Second Coming, received a double-four-star (perfect) rating from the Online Book Club — the highest rating awarded by the club.
His upcoming Christian novel, Year of Our Lord, has been praised byliterary critic David Dickerson as “by far the most exciting in the In His Steps series.”
19 To Zero Coalition Launches New Campaign In The Wake of Alberta's Soaring COVID-19 Hospitalizations
New behaviour-change campaign will specifically target remaining vaccine hesitant individuals in Wood Buffalo and Edmonton
CALGARY, AB, Oct. 25, 2021 /CNW/ - 19 To Zero, the national, multidisciplinary coalition aiming to shift public perceptions around COVID-19 behaviours and vaccination, is launching a new campaign called "It's Never Too Late" in targeted regions, including Wood Buffalo and Edmonton on Oct. 25, 2021.
The campaign ad—created in response to the unprecedented surge in ICU admissions of unvaccinated Albertans in recent weeks—shows a chillingly rapid chain of events from the perspective of an unvaccinated and critically ill COVID-19 patient, as they are assessed and admitted into the ICU to be intubated. Set to sounds of laboured breathing and medical monitors, the footage was shot in Alberta using local healthcare workers who have firsthand experience treating patients with severe COVID-19.
Rural Family Health Resident and 19 To Zero Spokesperson Dr. Finola Hackett has seen too many patients who have waited to get vaccinated and ended up hospitalized:
"After so many months and so much tragedy, it's more important than ever that we continue to communicate the importance of getting vaccinated," says Dr. Hackett. "People may be hesitant to get vaccinated for many reasons, but the reality is that COVID is still taking lives. With the 'It's Never Too Late' campaign, we want audiences to see that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks, and to really think about what could happen if they get COVID," she adds.
19 To Zero has worked with creative agency, Emergence Creative to launch a series of behaviour-change campaigns over the past year and a half, targeting different population segments. For this campaign, research and audience analysis suggested that raising an individual's sense of concern about getting COVID-19 was still the most powerful motivator to get vaccinated. Based on this insight, the campaign was developed to show Albertans the horrifying realities of this ongoing and unprecedented health crisis. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 99% of the more than 27,000 Canadians who have died from COVID-19 have been unvaccinated. The simple, but hard-hitting campaign lets people know that vaccines are still available and that it is never too late to get protection from the virus—until it is.
"The idea for the video was to show a patient's exact perspective as they get treated for severe COVID," says Emergence Creative CEO, Raj Pannu.
"We wanted to capture the full experience, from admission to intubation, from a first-person perspective, giving the video a really visceral, powerful effect. The loneliness and fear the patient feels is palpable, and we hope it challenges audiences to choose vaccination," he adds.
The broadcast and out-of-home campaign includes 4 weeks of 30-second spots on Global, CTV, and CBC; six weeks of promotion on Facebook and Instagram; and 8-week placements on buses, transit shelters, and digital billboards.
To find out more about 19 To Zero and the "It's Never Too Late" Campaign, visit 19tozero.ca
19 To Zero is a dedicated coalition of academics, public health experts, behavioural economists, and creative professionals working to understand, engage with, and ultimately shift public perceptions around COVID-19 behaviours and vaccination.
Emergence is a global creative agency specifically dedicated to communications that drive social impact. Based in New York City, Emergence works with corporations, nonprofits, startups, governments, and multilateral institutions that serve the common good around the world.
SOURCE 19 To Zero
Why You Should Add Cycling to Your Fitness Plan
Cycling sport athlete man riding on coastal road at dawn
There are plenty of reasons why we should keep our bodies physically fit and healthy. First, being physically fit makes us more active and focused. Secondly, it protects our bodies from various diseases such as heart ailments, diabetes, and obesity, to name a few. However, regardless of your age or condition, one great form of exercise that you can add to your fitness plan is cycling. If you are wondering whether to add cycling to your fitness plan, then the following reasons will convince you.
Provides Low-Impact Exercise
Cycling is generally regarded as a low-impact exercise. This means that you don’t have to put a lot of strain on your joints, tendons, or ligaments when performing it. As such, it can be a good alternative form of exercise for those who can’t do extensive workouts but still want to stay fit. If you are nursing injuries, suffer from arthritis, mobility issues, or don’t prefer extensive workouts, cycling can be your best form of aerobic exercise.
Helps With Weight Management
Regular cycling can help you cut off some calories and body fat to some significant levels. According to physicians, riding a bicycle helps increase the rate of body metabolisms. When you pedal, your body needs more energy. Consequently, more fats and calories are burnt in the process, hence bringing a weight loss effect. However, for you to realize significant weight loss, you need to consider bike fitting so that you can be comfortable for longer and regular rides.
Reduces Risk of Disease
Living a sedentary lifestyle is one risk factor for developing chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and heart problems. Therefore, if you are concerned about preventing such conditions, then regular cycling is key. It will help in strengthening your heart muscles, reducing fat blood levels, and improving circulation. All these functions help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Improves Mental Performance
The benefits of riding a bike aren’t just for physical fitness- they also provide mental benefits. For instance, cycling improves blood flow to the brain cells, leading to improved coordination, focus, and other cognitive functions. Additionally, cycling is known to boost one’s moods and increase mental toughness. When you push yourself through physical exhaustion, you gain mental endurance and confidence.
Cycling is one exercise that’s associated with tons of health benefits. Plus, it’s a form of activity that people of many different ages can enjoy. That said, if your goal is to remain physically fit and healthy, then you should consider adding cycling to your routine.
5 Celebrity Chefs who are Feeding the Hungry with Aprons
Cooks Who Feed offers celebrity-chef inspired aprons that help feed the world’s hungry
NEW YORK, New York – (October 22, 2021) – Chefs love to feed people and take pleasure in knowing that those who are eating their creations are enjoying the food. There are also some chefs who go a step further so they can help feed the world’s hungry. That’s what five celebrity chefs are doing, as they team up with Cooks Who Feed to help feed the hungry, one apron sale at a time.
“I’m thrilled that these celebrity chefs have teamed up with us to help with such a great cause,” explains Seema Sanghavi, founder of Cooks Who Feed. “They can feel good knowing that they are taking steps to help make the world a better place, all through their love of food.”
The organization, Cooks Who Feed, offers celebrity chef-inspired aprons, with the purchase of each one providing 100 meals for those who need food assistance. They have already provided over 300,000 free meals to those who need the help. The line of aprons includes those for adults, as well as some for children.
Each celebrity chef has helped design an apron in their honor. The five celebrity chefs who are working with Cooks Who Feed to help provide those in need with food include:
Art Smith. The executive chef and co-owner of several restaurants including Blue Door Kitchen & Garden, Art and Soul, and Southern Art and Bourbon Bar. In 1997, Smith became the personal, day-to-day chef to Oprah Winfrey, a position that lasted ten years. Smith now coordinates and cooks for special events all around the world. Art's expertise lies in southern-style cooking. He is well known for his world-famous southern fried chicken.
Christine Cushing. An award-winning chef with T.V. shows broadcast around the globe. She is a judge on the hit Food Network program, Wall of Chefs, and also won the 2020 Taste Award for 'Best Chef’ in a T.V. series for her food, travel documentary series "Confucius Was a Foodie,” now airing on PBS across the US/Canada and on Nat Geo across the world. Christine has been showing Canada how to cook with love for more than 20 years, starting with her flagship Food Network Canada show, Christine Cushing Live. She is followed by hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe on her YouTube channel "My Favourite Foods” and appears regularly on The Marilyn Denis Show. Her artisan line of tomato sauces is handmade in Ontario, Canada.
Devan Rajkumar. Before his formal training at Toronto’s George Brown College for Honours Culinary Management, Chef Devan honed his skills under celebrated local Chef Adrian Niman of the Food Dudes catering company during a time of explosive growth. After several years of high-end catering, Chef Devan parlayed his position as Sous Chef with the Food Dudes into an Executive Chef role at Luxe Appliance Studio, a multi-million dollar showcase kitchen for his favorite brands Bosch, Thermador, and Gaggenau. Between 2012 and 2014, Chef Devan found his flair for live culinary demonstrations and entertained thousands of guests. Someone took to his liking and in 2014, Chef Dev became a regular guest on Cityline, one of Canada’s longest running daytime shows, and found his love of the spotlight.
Gaggan Anand. He put Indian food in the fine dining spotlight with his restaurant, Gaggan. Anand is known for what he calls “progressive Indian cuisine.” Since its debut in 2010, Gaggan's restaurant was repeatedly placed on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Gaggan earned 2 Michelin stars in the first edition of the Thailand Michelin guide in 2018. In August 2018, Chef Anand closed his award-winning restaurant to start something new. In November 2019, Anand opened another restaurant in Bangkok named 'Gaggan Anand'. Gaggan was profiled in Season 2 Episode 6 of Netflix's Chef's Table.
Chef Romain Avril. Best known for his appearances as a judge on Top Chef Canada All-Stars, and as a competing chef on Chopped Canada. He’s also recognizable as a frequent guest chef on programs such as Your Morning and Breakfast Television, as well as in media such as Toronto Life, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and The Telegraph. Chef Avril discovered his passion for cooking at an early age. By seventeen, he was working at a 1 Michelin Star restaurant, and at 21, he was cooking at a 2 Michelin Star restaurant. In 2010, Chef Avril moved to Canada, making a name for himself as a star chef at restaurants such as Colborne Lane, Origin North, Bar, and La Société Bistro. Chef Avril brings his love of food and dining to everything he does.
“This holiday season, when people give an apron as a gift, they will also be giving 100 meals to help feed the hungry,” added Sanghavi. “We are happy to be working with such inspirational celebrity chefs and for everyone to come together for such a great cause.”
The line of aprons that the celebrity chefs are a part of are environmentally friendly, handmade through fair trade, and are sustainable. The apron for kids match those made for adults. Every time an apron is sold, food waste is rescued and 100 meals are provided to those in need. The company does this by sharing its profits with its charity partners around the globe that rescue surplus food to reduce food waste and provide hunger relief.
Cooks Who Feed has launched a new part of their line of aprons, which are ones for kids. The new aprons come in three color combinations, and two sizes, fitting ages 3-12. They are 100% 9oz cotton canvas, available in one size that fits ages 3-7 and one for ages 8-12. The aprons feature an adjustable neck strap, reinforced stress points, one double pocket below the waist, and a chest pocket. To see the aprons for children, visit the site: https://cookswhofeed.com/products/the-mini-chef-christine-cushing-apron.
The company offers individual sales online, a retail line, and wholesale/corporate gifting options. The aprons are produced in ethically in Dehli, India, where 40 women are employed to make them by hand. To get more information or help support the mission, visit the site at: https://cookswhofeed.com.
About Cooks Who Feed
Cooks Who Feed was founded by Seema Sanghavi, who holds has an advanced degree in marketing and strategic management, and over 12 years of experience in online marketing, product management, and product management. She has lived in several countries around the world, and is an amateur chef. The company works with charity partners in India, Canada, and the U.S. to rescue food and serve it to those in need. To get more information, visit the site at: https://cookswhofeed.com
Global Self-Care Activist Rallies Millions to Show Up for Themselves and Others
Fort Lauderdale, FL. October 22, 2021 — Shelly Tygielski started a global, grassroots, mutual aid organization called pandemicoflove.com, from her kitchen table in March 2020 that has matched more than 2 million people and made it possible for donors to directly transact $60 million and counting to those in need. In her first book, Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World (New World Library; October 26, 2021; ISBN: 1608687449; Hardcover), author Shelly Tygielski, with a Foreword by Chelsea Handler and an Afterword by Sharon Salzberg, goes beyond the story of Tygielski’s organization—which has gained her a spot on CNN Heroes in 2020 and praise from President Biden, among other recognitions—to reveal her fervent belief in “showing up,” consistently, for yourself and for each other.
Among Tygielski’s insights:
How we are each born with a sense of agency—the ability to rise up, assert ourselves, and become an agent for social change, regardless of our circumstances—and ways to uncover and nurture that seed within us.
Why positive thinking as a consistent habit is downright impossible—and how to find simple, unconditional happiness that is not in opposition to negative experiences through conscious action and connection with others.
Why self-care—a commitment to taking an active role in safeguarding our mental and physical wellness—isn’t self-centered but truly a selfless act—and ways to expand our view of the “self” to include our family, community, human beings across the globe and the natural world.
The power of showing up, taking baby steps, and making incremental change—and an arsenal of tools to help anyone create circles of influence for serving others and doing good, sparking a ripple effect that continues to reverberate and inspire people of all types everywhere.
Why we urgently need to extinguish the stigma attached to asking for help and support the concept and reality of equity, how to set up your own mutual aid network … and more.
About the Author
Named one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful.org, Shelly Tygielski has appeared in The New York Times and Washington Post. Herconservative Sephardic Orthodox Jewish family emigrated from Israel to Brooklyn, where shewas kidnapped as a toddler while waiting with her mother at a Brooklyn DMV office. She owes her rescue to a “Good Samaritan” who had the impetus to do what was right and kind, with boldness and bravery.
As a pioneer meditation teacher who has a “duality to be Jewish and to study Buddhism” privately, Tygielski battles an autoimmune eye disease that periodically plunges her into blindness. She organized and led the first mass meditation with a national sporting franchise, NBA’s Miami Heat, and her “Sand Tribe” gatherings has grown to over 15,000 meditators over a few years. Tygielski spent nearly two decades as an award-winning business executive, rising to president of a $70 million security firm with more than 2,400 employees, and then took a leap of faith by leaving the corporate world for the wellness space. She holds a master’s from Columbia University. For more information, please visit www.shellytygielski.com.
Faith Journey Includes the Good, the Bad and the Proof that God Hears Our Prayers
PALMDALE, CA, Oct. 22, 2021 — Christine Schat sat down and wrote the truth about her life even though some of it was messy. As a teenager, she lived by her own rules, became pregnant, married young, divorced and married again. She made choices that led to the tragic death of her husband and the heartbreak of a prodigal son. She had welcomed Jesus into her life at an early age, but had repeatedly veered off course. Every time she repented, she found God’s forgiveness and mercy to be always available, always complete. This is her compelling story.
The Tree of Faith, God Wants to Answer YOUR Prayer is Schat’s deeply personal memoir recounting true stories that range from dealing with regret to letting go of guilt and letting go of shame. There were many life events that prompted Schat to seek God’s will and to ask for His help. Did God always show up in exactly the way she expected Him to? No. Were her prayers answered as quickly as she’d hoped? No. But ultimately, she recognized the constant thread of God’s love that was woven throughout her life despite her sins.
Schat’s style is easy and conversational, and laced with touches of humor. She shares the moments, thoughts and experiences that led her to a most astonishing realization in the face of adversity.
She discovered that the seed of faith planted in her at birth by the Creator could grow easily in the healthy soil of a humble heart. By spiritually cultivating that seed with life-giving prayer and sonshine, her small seedling grew into a magnificently strong, fruit-bearing tree of faith, deeply rooted and stable. She then knew, that living with Christ, everything is possible.
In The Tree of Faith, readers will discover the age-old secret to obliterating fear, guilt and shame; the personal way God answers questions; strength through adversity and the power of letting go; the unique key to turning life around; and the growing faith that looks past the impossible. Along the way, readers are invited to get involved through chapter questions.
Schat shares the good and the bad of her faith journey, with personal stories and a wealth of wisdom gleaned over decades that can give readers hope that God hears their prayers.
“Now is the time to look to the Light, renew your faith and expect God to answer your prayers!” Schat said.
Author Christine Schat is a UCLA graduate and the former owner of Fort Bragg Bakery. She loves to smile, laugh and share her stories. She currently lives in Southern California but loves to travel the country visiting family and friends. She is especially fond of her grandchildren and has been nicknamed Gram-cracker. But her greatest joy is experiencing God’s answered prayers.
The Tree of Faith, God Wants to Answer YOUR Prayer
Prepare Your Heart for the Joys of the Season With Daily Advent and Christmas Devotions
Cleveland, OH, October 21, 2021— As one of our holiest, and busiest, times of year fast approaches, it’s natural to get caught up in the tasks of the season — shopping, crafting, baking, decorating and perhaps traveling. You can bring more meaning and clarity to all of your holiday experiences by spending just a few minutes each day in peaceful reflection.
Father Dr. Maurice Emelu offers readers a daily, prayerful walk with God’s Word in his new, seven-volume series, An Encounter: A Daily Discovery in Divine Word. In Volume One, Fr. Emelu offers insights and Bible verses to accompany the seasons of Advent and Christmas.
“I wrote most of these reflections before the blessed Sacrament. In the presence of the Lord, I found the serenity and peace of soul that inspired more profound, prayerful sentiments within me,” Fr. Emelu said. “I then began to dialogue with God’s words.”
Drawing upon his West African roots, Catholic spirituality as well as his many years of pastoral ministry, Fr. Emelu combines the story-telling culture of Africa with a Western worldview to offer a unique perspective on faith-life and what it means to grow closer to the Lord. He communicates his sentiments and ideas in compelling, relatable ways and applies them to today’s realities. Each passage aims to heal, inspire, teach and encourage through the power of God’s Word.
The next two volumes in Fr. Emelu’s An Encounter series focus on messages for the seasons of Lent and Easter. The topics of future volumes will be announced soon.
An Encounter is suitable for both personal and group faith sharing — for anyone seeking a daily walk with God. It would be the perfect gift for your pastor or loved one.
“Alone with God, the soul hears words that the noisy world often silences,” he said. “Call them a boost for the day or a spiritual companion for everyday life. They are empowering words meant to accompany readers on their own journey of life as they continue to discover the gentle Word of God.”
About the Author
Father Maurice Nkem Emelu, Ph.D., is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Orlu in Nigeria, and the founder of Gratia Vobis Ministries, Inc., a global ministry for cross-cultural Catholic evangelization and works of charity. He is an Assistant Professor of digital media and Communication at John Carroll University in the United States. The author of seven books, and over 700 blogs and professional articles, he provides robust cross-cultural educational programs through digital media. He is the host of EWTN’s The Faith with Father Maurice and the host/executive producer of Word for a Wounded World teaching series, plus numerous other television and radio works in the global Catholic network. He holds a Ph.D. from Liverpool Hope University, UK, focusing on digital storytelling, media aesthetics and theology, among other academic degrees. An encounter with the Lord when he was 14 changed him in fundamental ways, and today he describes himself as “passionately in love with God and His body, the Church.”
For more information, please visit www.revemelu.com, or follow the author on Instagram (@mauriceemelu), Twitter (@revemelu), YouTube (Fr. Maurice Emelu) or Facebook (Fr. Maurice Emelu).
An Encounter: A Daily Discovery in Divine Word, Volume One: Advent and Christmas Publisher: Bien LLC
