(NEW YORK) — Olympian Lolo Jones is speaking out about taking control of her fertility journey, a story she wishes someone had told her when she was younger.
The 40-year-old told ABC News’ Juju Chang in an exclusive interview that she hopes to be a mother one day.
“Being a good mom is very difficult, especially in today’s society. And so, it has me nervous. Like, do I have the capabilities, the skill set to care for someone?” Jones said. “But I’d like a chance.”
Jones is no stranger to challenges, having competed on the Olympic stage in not one but two sports — bobsledding at the Winter Games and hurdles at the Summer Games.
When it came to her personal life and her path to parenthood, Jones decided not to wait any longer after years of searching for a partner and started researching how to freeze her eggs.
“You keep having hope that you’re gonna meet someone and then every year that goes by, you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m not, like, meeting my husband,’ like, you start to get more anxious,” Jones said. “And then here’s the crazy thing about all this. I have been crashing a bobsled at 90 miles an hour. … I’ve had hamstring injuries, spine surgery, and nothing was more terrifying than starting to even look up the process of egg freezing.”
Jones has since peeled back the curtain and is giving fans and followers on social media an up-close look at the egg-freezing process, which can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000.
“People undertake this treatment if they’re trying to get the ticking time clock out of their head, trying to take the stress off of their dating decisions and be able to really feel like they might have an insurance policy in the freezer,” Dr. Ellen Goldstein, a fertility specialist and medical director of Beverly Hills Fertility, told ABC’s Good Morning America.
For the egg-retrieval process, Jones had to give herself multiple hormone injections for 11 days in a row before undergoing surgery to extract the eggs.
Jones’ doctors have helped her retrieve 27 eggs, 17 of which were determined to be mature and viable for fertilization in the future.
“With numbers like that, she has much higher statistical power of having a success with that group of eggs,” Goldstein, who wasn’t involved in Jones’ treatment, said.
But even with the 17 eggs, the road ahead isn’t a promised one.
“This is the thing about egg freezing that people should know: It is not a guarantee to have a kid,” Jones said.
The eggs can be frozen and stored without a loss in quality, granting Jones more time to date. The Olympic athlete has been open about keeping her virginity until marriage and said she wants to become a parent with a partner.
“Trust me, I’ve been on some amazing dates, it just … has not worked out,” Jones said. “But if the right person is for me, they will be willing to stick through it all. I want a guy who’s gonna love me through it all.”
Spike Lee cheers on Serena Williams — Jean Catuffe/GC Images
A star-studded audience filled the stands while Serena Williams played under the lights during the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday night.
Celebrities across all industries — entertainment, music and sports — came to support Williams in one of her last singles matches as a professional tennis player.
Although all eyes were on Williams, here are a few famous faces spotted in the crowd, including Zendaya, Tiger Woods, Dionne Warwick, fashion icon Anna Wintour, Oscar winners Jared Leto and Spike Lee, and tennis legends Billie Jean King and Serena’s already-retired sister, Venus.
Serena, who announced her “evolution” away from tennis earlier this month in a personal essay in Vogue, battled 26-year-old WTA #2-ranked player, Anett Kontaveit of Estonia.
Williams won in three sets, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2, in an upset victory for the 40-year-old legend in what could be her last-ever tournament.
(NEW YORK) — A high-stakes mission from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog reached a Russian-controlled power plant in Ukraine on Thursday afternoon amid reports of heavy fighting there.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has long sought access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, since invading Russian troops overran the site and the surrounding town of Enerhodar in southeastern Ukraine in early March. The Ukrainian workers have been left in place to keep the plant operating, as it supplies electricity across the war-torn country, but the site is now on the frontline between Russian-occupied and Ukrainian-controlled territory. Moscow and Kyiv have traded accusations of shelling at or near the plant in recent days and weeks, fueling fears that the conflict could spark a radiation disaster.
IAEA’s Rafael Grossi, who is leading a team of over a dozen experts sent to inspect the besieged plant, said earlier Thursday that they were “aware” of the high risk posed by the “increased military activity in the area” between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
“There has been increased military activity, including this morning, until very recently, a few minutes ago. I have been briefed by the Ukrainian regional military commander here about that and the inherent risks,” Grossi told reporters as he and his team left their hotel in the city of Zaporizhzhia, north of Enerhodar, across the Dnipro River.
“But, weighing the pros and cons, and having come so far, we are not stopping,” he added. “We are moving now.”
While acknowledging the risks, Grossi said his team had the “minimum conditions” to forge on with the final and dangerous leg of their journey. He told reporters to “wish us luck.”
“We know that there is an area, as you know, the so-called grey zone, where the last line of the Ukrainian defense comes, and before the first line of the Russian occupying forces begins, where the risks are significant,” he said. “At the same time, we consider that we have the minimum conditions to move, accepting that the risks are very, very high. Still, myself and the team, we believe that we can proceed with this. We have a very important mission to accomplish.”
Upon arrival, the team plans to immediately start “an assessment of the security and the safety situation at the plant, as it is right now,” according to Grossi.
“We are going to be liaising and consulting with the staff at the facility. And I am going to consider the possibility of establishing a continued presence of the IAEA at the plant, which we believe is indispensable to stabilize the situation and to get regular, reliable, impartial, neutral updates of what the situation is there,” he added. “It’s very important that the world knows what’s happening here.”
A few hours later, the IAEA announced via Twitter that its “Support and Assistance Mission … has just arrived at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant to conduct indispensable nuclear safety and security and safeguards activities.”
Grossi and his team landed in Kyiv earlier this week, where they met with with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, before making their way to the Zaporizhzhia region in a convoy of U.N.-marked vehicles.
When asked by reporters on Wednesday if it was possible to demilitarize the plant, Grossi said it was “a matter of political will” and that his mission is to preserve the biggest nuclear power station in both Ukraine and Europe. He emphasized that his team would be operating in Ukrainian sovereign territory but in cooperation with Russian forces.
Asked if he thought Russian troops would really give his team full access, Grossi told reporters the IAEA was on a “technical mission” and that he was confident they could work “on both sides.”
Vyacheslav Madiyevskyi/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Sep 01, 8:40 AM EDT
IAEA mission arrives at Zaporzhzhia nuclear power plant
A high-stakes mission from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog reached a Russian-controlled power plant in Ukraine on Thursday afternoon amid reports of heavy fighting there.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has long sought access to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, since invading Russian troops overran the site and the surrounding town of Enerhodar in southeastern Ukraine in early March. The Ukrainian workers have been left in place to keep the plant operating, as it supplies electricity across the war-torn country, but the site is now on the frontline between Russian-occupied and Ukrainian-controlled territory. Moscow and Kyiv have traded accusations of shelling at or near the plant in recent days and weeks, fueling fears that the conflict could spark a radiation disaster.
IAEA’s Rafael Grossi, who is leading a team of over a dozen experts sent to inspect the besieged plant, said earlier Thursday that they were “aware” of the high risk posed by the “increased military activity in the area” between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
“There has been increased military activity, including this morning, until very recently, a few minutes ago. I have been briefed by the Ukrainian regional military commander here about that and the inherent risks,” Grossi told reporters as he and his team left their hotel in the city of Zaporizhzhia, north of Enerhodar, across the Dnipro River.
“But, weighing the pros and cons, and having come so far, we are not stopping,” he added. “We are moving now.”
A few hours later, the IAEA announced via Twitter that its “Support and Assistance Mission … has just arrived at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant to conduct indispensable nuclear safety and security and safeguards activities.”
Aug 31, 10:45 AM EDT
IAEA mission arrives in Zaporizhzhia
A long-awaited expert mission from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog arrived in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s team will travel to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant near the town of Enerhodar on Thursday for the first time.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who is leading the mission, told reporters during a press briefing in Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday that the aim is for his team to establish a permanent presence at the Russian-occupied plant and that the initial phase would take “days.”
When asked if it was possible to demilitarize the site, Grossi said it was “a matter of political will” and that his mission is to preserve Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant. He admitted it was “not a risk-free mission” and underlined that his team would be operating in Ukrainian sovereign territory but in cooperation with Russian forces.
Asked if he thought Russian troops would really give his team full access, Grossi told reporters the IAEA was on a “technical mission” and that he was confident his team could work “on both sides.”
Aug 30, 4:31 PM EDT
Blinken heralds arrival of first shipload of Ukrainian grain to drought-stricken Horn of Africa
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday celebrated the first shipment of Ukrainian grain to arrive in the Horn of Africa — a region facing dire hunger — since Russia’s invasion began.
“The United States welcomes the arrival in Djibouti of 23,300 metric tons of Ukrainian grain aboard the ship Brave Commander. This grain will be distributed within Ethiopia and Somalia, countries that are dangerously food insecure after four years of drought,” Blinken said in a statement.
This is the first shipload to reach the region since a United Nations-brokered deal that allowed ships to leave Ukraine’s ports again.
According to Ukrainian officials, dozens of ships have been able to safely navigate the Black Sea in recent weeks. But State Department officials have claimed Russian allies, like Syria, have unfairly benefitted from recent exports, proving detrimental to countries the World Food Programme has determined are facing a greater level of need.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Aug 30, 4:25 PM EDT
EU preemptively donates 5.5 million potassium iodide tablets to protect Ukrainians from potential radiation exposure
The European Commission said it received a request from the Ukrainian government on Friday for potassium iodide tablets as a preventative safety measure to increase the level of protection around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The European Response Coordination Centre quickly mobilized 5.5 million potassium iodide tablets through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for Ukraine, including 5 million from the rescEU emergency reserves and 500,000 from Austria.
“No nuclear power plant should ever be used as a war theatre,” EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said. “It is unacceptable that civilian lives are put in danger. All military action around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant must stop immediately.”
-ABC News’ Max Uzol
Aug 30, 2:15 PM EDT
Sens. Klobuchar, Portman meet with Zelenskyy in Ukraine
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov on a visit to the war-torn country.
“The support that the U.S. has given has been strongly bipartisan and we want that to continue,” Klobuchar told ABC News.
Portman noted the psychological advantage of Ukraine now making advances in Kherson, which was the first oblast taken by the Russians six months ago.
It shows that “even when the Russians are dug in, as they are in that region, that Ukrainians can make progress in an offensive,” he said. “And my hope is that we will continue to see that to the point that the Russians will finally come to the bargaining table and stop this illegal, totally unprovoked war on Ukraine.”
-ABC News’ Ibtissem Guenfoud
Aug 30, 11:07 AM EDT
Russian forces shelling corridors leading to nuclear plant, Ukraine says
Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russian forces are shelling corridors the International Atomic Energy Agency mission would take to reach the Zaporizhzhia power plant in southeastern Ukraine.
Podolyak said Russian forces are probably shelling the path to ensure the IAEA mission pass through Russian-controlled territory to reach the plant.
Aug 29, 4:38 PM EDT
Zelenskyy vows to reclaim all territory lost to Russian forces
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday vowed to reclaim all territory lost to Russian forces.
“Ukraine is returning its own. And it will return the Kharkiv region, Luhansk region, Donetsk region, Zaporizhzhia region, Kherson region, Crimea. Definitely our entire water area of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, from Zmiinyi Island to the Kerch Strait,” he said in his daily address. “This will happen. This is ours. And just as our society understands it, I want the occupiers to understand it, too. There will be no place for them on Ukrainian land.”
Zelenskyy said his message to Russian fighters is that if they want to survive, it’s time for them to flee or surrender.
“The occupiers should know, we will oust them to the border — to our border, the line of which has not changed. The invaders know it well,” he said. “If they want to survive, it is time for the Russian military to flee. Go home. If you are afraid to return to your home in Russia, well, let such occupiers surrender, and we will guarantee them compliance with all norms of the Geneva Conventions.”
Aug 29, 3:00 PM EDT
White House calls for controlled shutdown of Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactors, DMZ around plant
White House spokesman John Kirby said Monday that Russia should agree to a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and that a controlled shutdown of the reactors “would be the safest and least risky option in the near-term.”
Kirby also expressed support for the IAEA mission to the power plant.
“We fully support the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi’s expert mission to the power plant, and we are glad that the team is on its way to ascertain the safety, security and safeguards of the systems there, as well as to evaluate the staff’s working conditions,” he said. “Russia should ensure safe, unfettered access for these independent inspectors.”
-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson
Aug 29, 1:33 PM EDT
Ukrainian forces launch major counteroffensive
Ukrainian forces have launched a major counteroffensive in multiple directions in the southern part of Ukraine, Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Operational Command, said Monday.
Humeniuk said the situation in the south remains “tense,” but controlled.
Ukrainians have been targeting strategic Russian command posts and slowly advancing toward Kherson for weeks. Kherson was first major city in the south to be captured by Russian forces following the invasion.
Russian military issued a statement confirming the offensive and claiming Ukraine sustained heavy losses.
Meanwhile, at least 12 missiles have struck Mykolaiv, which remains under Ukraine’s control in the south. Two people were killed and 24 were wounded, according to the governor of Mykolaiv Oblast.
-ABC News’ Max Uzol and Natalia Shumskaia
Aug 29, 12:47 PM EDT
Ukrainian official accused of treason is shot and killed
Oleksiy Kovalyov, a Ukrainian official who was accused of treason for openly collaborating with Russia, was shot and killed in his home on Sunday in Hola Prystan, Kherson Oblast, according to preliminary information from the Investigative Committee of Russia (SKR). An unidentified woman was also killed, SKR said.
Kovalyov was a Ukrainian lawmaker from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party who was accused of treason; criminal proceedings were initiated by Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations in June. He is one of the highest-ranking Ukrainian defectors who fled to Kherson after the invasion and openly collaborated with Russia. He was appointed by the Russians as the deputy head of the Kherson Military-Civil Administration.
Aug 29, 12:19 PM EDT
IAEA says mission to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ‘on its way’
The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog announced Monday that the agency’s long-awaited expert mission to the Zaporizhzhia power plant in southeastern Ukraine “is now on its way.”
“The day has come,” Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a post on Twitter.
Grossi, who is leading the IAEA’s “Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia,” has long sought access to the nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe. Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations of shelling at or near the site in recent weeks, fueling fears that the fighting could cause a nuclear disaster.
“We must protect the safety and security of #Ukraine’s and Europe’s biggest nuclear facility,” Grossi tweeted, alongside a photo of himself with 13 other experts. “Proud to lead this mission which will be in #ZNPP later this week.”
Shortly after invading neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, Russian troops stormed the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant near the town of Enerhodar, on the banks of the Dnipro River in the country’s southeast. The Ukrainian workers have been left in place to keep the plant operating, as it supplies electricity across the war-torn nation.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the IAEA team will travel to the plant via Ukrainian-controlled territory, state-run TASS reported.
The area around the nuclear plant is controlled by Russian forces. Peskov said once the IAEA team enters Russian-controlled territory, all necessary security will be provided.
Aug 29, 2:21 AM EDT
IAEA says mission to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ‘on its way’
The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog announced Monday that the agency’s long-awaited expert mission to the Zaporizhzhia power plant in southeastern Ukraine “is now on its way.”
“The day has come,” Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a post on Twitter.
Grossi, who is leading the IAEA’s “Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia,” has long sought access to the nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe. Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations of shelling at or near the site in recent weeks, fueling fears that the fighting could cause a nuclear disaster.
“We must protect the safety and security of #Ukraine’s and Europe’s biggest nuclear facility,” Grossi tweeted, alongside a photo of himself with 13 other experts. “Proud to lead this mission which will be in #ZNPP later this week.”
Shortly after invading neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, Russian troops stormed the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant near the town of Enerhodar, on the banks of the Dnipro River in the country’s southeast. The Ukrainian workers have been left in place to keep the plant operating, as it supplies electricity across the war-torn nation.
House of the Dragon co-showrunner, executive producer and director Miguel Sapochnik is exiting the HBO series, Variety reports. “It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally,” Sapochnik said in a statement. Sapochnik will reportedly still be credited as an EP on the project with Ryan Condal becoming the sole showrunner. Prior to House of the Dragon, Sapochnik directed multiple episodes of Game of Thrones…
In a lengthy Instagram Story on Wednesday, Dancing with the Stars’Sharna Burgess confirmed she will not be returning as a pro for season 31. The 37-year-old, who recently welcomed her first child with Brian Austin Green, said she’s “not ready to spend a minimum of 10 hours a day” away from their newborn. Sharna shared that while she won’t appear as a pro, there have been talks of her being a part of DWTS “in some capacity.” The news comes ahead of the show’s 31st season, which is preparing to debut on Disney+…
Amazon’s The Summer I Turned Pretty will be gaining two new faces with Kyra Sedgwick and Elsie Fisher joining the cast for season two, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actresses will have recurring roles in the Young Adult series, which is based on a novel by Jenny Han. The Summer I Turned Pretty, which debuted in June, is about a teen who finds herself in a love triangle with two brothers…
Jason Bateman is reportedly in negotiations to join the Netflix action thriller Carry On, according to Deadline sources. Bateman would co-star opposite Taron Egerton in the film, which “centers on Ethan Kopek, a young TSA agent who gets blackmailed by a mysterious traveler to let a dangerous package slip through security and onto a Christmas Day flight,” per Deadline, which reports Bateman will be portraying the mysterious traveler…
Amanda Mackey, the award-winning casting director for the 1992 film A League of Their Own has died, Variety reports. She was 70. “We are heartbroken to hear about the passing of Casting Director Amanda Mackey. She was an inspiration to many in our field and everyone at CSA sends our condolences to her family and friends,” the Casting Society said in a statement, per Variety. Mackey’s other credits include Bad Moms, Smoking’ Aces, and many more…
(NEW YORK) — Passengers taking to the skies for Labor Day weekend will have a new tool to help make sure their trips are smooth — even if there’s problems with their flight.
The U.S. Department of Transportation debuted its airline customer service dashboard on Thursday, which details airlines’ “commitments” to passengers in the event of “controllable” cancellations and delays within the airline’s control, such as mechanical or staffing issues.
The dashboard also offers a breakdown of how some of the carriers will help customers in those events, such as rebooking, or offering meal and hotel vouchers.
“Passengers deserve transparency and clarity on what to expect from an airline when there is a cancellation or disruption,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a release.
“This dashboard collects that information in one place so travelers can easily understand their rights, compare airline practices and make informed decisions. The Department will continue to support passengers and to hold airlines responsible for adhering to their customer obligations,” he added.
According to the release, Buttigieg wrote a letter to airline CEOs that informed them of the plan to publish the dashboard before Labor Day, encouraging them to improve their customer service plans and, by default, offering flyers a place to compare carriers.
Ari Lennox is embracing self-love with her upcoming sophomore album, Age/Sex/Location.
According to a text message shared by J. Cole, whose label the “Pressure singer” is signed to, she opened up about what the album means for her.
“I asked Ari what this new album means to her. I needed to know cuz I f*** with it so heavy,” he captioned the Instagram post of Ari’s text.
In the lengthy text, Ari expressed that Age/Sex/Location, which is due out on September 9, explores the lessons she’s learned in dating and the journey to self-love.
“Transitional space. Very vulnerable codependent and validation seeking part of my life,” she wrote. “I remember the countless times I was kicked out of dating apps because they didn’t think I was really myself, it reminded me of those age/sex/location days where I actually wasn’t being myself in those chat rooms.”
The 31-year-old singer went on to say that she spent “so much time seeing to god and good in some abusive people” which resulted in her “neglecting [her] needs and self worth.”
“No more tip toeing,” she continued. “Providing grace and compassion to myself. Blocking those that no longer serve me or just literally not responding… Allowing accountability and maturing. Allowing growth to happen. Allowing self worth and self love and inner work to happen. Allowing therapy. Allowing dating me to happen.”
Ari concluded, “What’s for me is for me and I’m complete on my own. This is my eat love pray journey. And it’s my honest goodbye to searching for love. I got it right here inside of me. The end of searching for anything other than self love and family. Pouring into me and giving the greatest love to me.”
(NEW YORK) — The start of a new school year is a time for new learning, new schedules and new teachers and friends.
Unfortunately, it can also be a time for new illnesses as kids return to spending time inside classrooms.
This school year is also the third consecutive year to take place during the coronavirus pandemic, which is still present even as kids return to school in-person.
ABC News’ Good Morning America spoke with school nurses at schools across the country for their tips to ensuring kids have a great and healthy school year.
Read their tips below:
1. Make sure your child is up-to-date on vaccinations.
“Please, please vaccinate your children for COVID and all other vaccine-preventable childhood illnesses,” said Robin Cogan, a school nurse in Camden, New Jersey. “We have taken a bit of a backslide on vaccinations for our children, we can reverse that negative trend this school year.”
COVID-19 vaccines are now available for all children ages 6 months and older.
Holly Giovi, a school nurse in Suffolk County, New York, said parents should also make sure their children are up to date on doctor appointments and annual screenings with specialists like the dentist and optometrist.
“COVID is still here and so are many other childhood illnesses, such as the new news we are hearing about polio numbers rising in upstate New York,” she said. “So please keep up with all your doctor appointments and immunizations.”
2. Keep your child home if they don’t feel well.
“Fevers over 100.4 is one indication of not feeling well. Congestion with an excessively runny nose is another example,” said Cogan. “Keep your children home until they are fever-free, or free from other common ailments, like vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.”
Sandi Braymer, a school nurse in Salem, New York, said it’s important to keep kids to a bedtime on school nights, with limited technology, and to keep them home from school if they are not feeling up to attending.
“Keep your child home if they are sick or not feeling themselves, especially if they haven’t had enough sleep,” she said.
3. Get to know your child’s school nurse.
Gail M. Smith, director of health services for the Pickens County School System in Jasper, Georgia, said parents should introduce themselves to the school nurse and make sure they have all information needed about their child.
“It’s important to keep the lines of communication open between parents, students, schools and healthcare providers,” she said, adding, “Make sure that you have the proper documentation and information in the school clinic about your child and your child’s healthcare needs.”
Giovi said parents should not only provide their contact information to the school nurse, but should also make sure their phone’s voicemail system is set up so that they can be reached, in addition to setting up a backup plan in case there is a conflict when they’re needed.
“Create a relationship with your school nurse even if your child does not have a chronic medical condition, allergies, or any need for accommodations during the school day,” she said. “School nurses do not just take care of students but the entire community, so we want to really know everyone.”
And if your child’s school does not have a school nurse, Cogan said parents should feel empowered to ask for one.
“Advocate for a full-time school nurse in your child’s building all day, every day,” she said, noting that as many as 25% of schools in the United States do not have a nurse on staff.
4. Work at home to set up your child for success.
Braymer said that in addition to making sure kids get enough sleep, it’s almost important to fuel them for the day by making sure they eat a solid breakfast, even if it means grabbing something on the go.
Giovi added that parents can be great examples for their kids and set the tone for their time at school by preparing them properly.
“Get into a great routine including outdoor play, brushing teeth, showering, bedtime routines, reading, getting proper restful sleep, minimizing electronic play usage on devices with a plug, wake-up routines, eating a healthy breakfast, and packing healthy snacks for school,” she said.
5. Keep school nurses aware of changes in your child.
“Keep your school nurse informed of any changes that could impact your child’s mental and/or physical health,” said Cogan. “We are a safe space to help with care coordination and are a wealth of resources should you need confidential assistance.”
She continued, “The school nurse and the parents are on the same team. We want to keep our students safe, healthy, and able to learn. We are your partners in school health and safety.”
(NEW YORK) — As children and teens continue to head back to classrooms, questions are arising about how much of a risk K-12 schools are when it comes to the spread of monkeypox.
More than 18,400 cases have been diagnosed in the United States since mid-May, as of Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most of the cases have occurred among men who have sex with men, a group that includes people who identify as gay, bisexual, transgender and nonbinary. However, the CDC has said anyone — regardless of sexual orientation — is at risk of monkeypox if they come into close, personal contact with a patient.
Of those cases, 31 have been in children, according to state officials from across the country. Texas has the most confirmed pediatric cases with nine followed by California with six and Georgia with three.
Although the risk to most children is low, school officials are keeping an eye out for possible infections.
“So, superintendents are obviously aware of monkeypox,” Noelle Ellerson Ng, associate executive director of advocacy and governance at AASA, The School Superintendents Association, told ABC News.
Ng said most schools she’s spoken with are not currently creating new health guidelines to address monkeypox because they’ve already had policies and strategies in place for communicable diseases, many most recently used to address COVID-19.
“So, it’s making sure those are current, up-to-date, that they know what they are, that their school health staff are versed in them,” she said. “And then just diligence on behalf of the administrative team and the health team to know what local and state health policy guidance is and then topping off with the CDC guidance and recommendations.”
Two weeks ago, ahead of most children heading back to school, the CDC released monkeypox guidance for K-12 schools, day cares and other settings serving children and adolescents.
The federal health agency said the disease risk to most Americans under age 18 is low but that schools “should follow their everyday operational guidance that reduces the transmission of infectious diseases.” Examples include staying home when sick, proper hand-washing etiquette and “routine cleaning and disinfection practices.”
The CDC also recommends schools consult their local or state health departments for questions about what to do if someone develops symptoms and testing for monkeypox, as well as notifying parents if a case is diagnosed among a student or an adult.
Linda Mendonça, president of the National Association of School Nurses, said the guidance has been especially helpful for school nurses, who are often required to relay health information to the community.
“It certainly is helpful to have that, and it provides us talking points and information to share with our school communities,” Mendonça told ABC News. “For instance, letting you know, parents know to keep children home when they’re sick; to make sure we’re washing hands cleaning and disinfecting and doing all of those things that we would do for pretty much any kind of infectious situation that we might have in the school setting.”
Already some schools have announced they’re following these policies. On Monday, Fort Bend Independent School District in Texas announced a high school student had tested positive for monkeypox.
The district said it will keep up with the cleaning protocols set in places for schools, including using UV-C disinfecting lamps — which use ultraviolet light — in classrooms and other facilities.
Last week, after two elementary school students tested positive in Newton County School System in Georgia, the district said parents were notified and parents considered close contacts would receive communication on next steps.
“NCSS facilities employees will thoroughly clean and disinfect classrooms and other areas at both schools this afternoon to ensure ongoing safe and healthy learning and work environments for students and staff. Both schools will be open tomorrow,” the district said in a statement.
According to the CDC, as of Aug. 21, out of 151 cases of monkeypox in those under the age of 20, only 17 have been in those aged 15 and younger.
Dr. Perry Halkitis, dean of Rutgers School of Public Health, told ABC News that while there is a risk of transmission from touching infected bedding, towels or clothing of a monkeypox patient or contaminated surfaces, the riskiest mode of transmission is sexual encounters with someone who is positive or prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.
“Of the children out there, I’m most concerned about adolescents who begin to engage in sexual behavior,” he said. “It usually begins like [ages] 15, 16, 17, 18. Those are the kids I would be most concerned about.”
“The parents who should be the most conscious, the most aware, the most opening conversations with their children are the ones who are potentially have children who are engaging in really intimate behaviors with others, which could lead to the transmission of monkeypox,” he added.
However, while he encourages parents to ask questions of what schools are doing to make sure kids are protected in general, he advises mothers and fathers not to panic.
“I think the more important thing I would say to these parents is let’s be aware that we’re still dealing with something called COVID-19, that there’s a new booster going to be available sometime in the fall,” Halkitis said. “Let’s talk about whether or not your child is vaccinated for that.”
(NEW YORK) — Madam. C.J. Walker, the first woman to become a self-made millionaire in the U.S., is the latest figure to be honored with her own Barbie doll in Mattel’s Inspiring Women line.
Walker, the daughter of former slaves, was born in Louisiana in 1867 and later became a successful entrepreneur who founded Walker Manufacturing Co., a manufacturing company that created hair care products and cosmetics designed for Black women. She employed thousands of Black women at her company, and after building her beauty empire, went on to become a prominent activist and philanthropist, supporting orphanages and Black colleges, and advocating for civil rights organizations and women’s rights.
In 2001, A’Lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter and official biographer, authored a book about Walker, which served as the nonfiction inspiration for Self Made, the fictionalized Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer. Bundles is also the brand historian for MADAM by Madam C. J. Walker, a line of hair care products inspired by her great-great-grandmother, as well as the founder of the Madam Walker Family Archives.
Mattel first approached Bundles in October 2021 about designing a doll honoring her great-great-grandmother. Throughout the design and ideation process, Bundles said she was invited to share images of Walker and her beauty product containers, offering feedback on designs. She said Mattel even sent her a box of doll head prototypes with different facial features and hair textures for Bundles to rank.
“We were able to really combine the knowledge that I’ve developed as Madam Walker’s biographer, with their incredible knowledge of marketing and telling a story through a doll,” Bundles told ABC News.
The finalized version of the Walker doll is dressed in a purple floral printed blouse paired with a full-length turquoise skirt — Bundles said the color scheme was based on Walker’s stationery — and is holding a miniature replica of Walker’s original Wonderful Hair Grower product, an ointment that helped with many scalp issues. The doll’s packaging features a historical photo of Walker’s Villa Lewaro mansion in Irvington, New York, which served as a gathering place for notable figures during the Harlem Renaissance, such as W. E. B. Dubois and Langston Hughes.
Bundles described seeing the completed Barbie doll of her great-great-grandmother as a “full circle moment.”
“When I was 3 years old, my mother bought me a Black doll, and this was in the 1950s, so this was really unusual,” she said. “It was very hard to find Black dolls, but my mother understood the importance of me being able to see myself in a doll.”
Barbie first launched the Inspiring Women Series in 2018, dedicating the collection to honoring historical and present-day role models and trailblazers who paved the way for generations of girls.
The series has paid tribute to a diverse lineup of women including Dr. Jane Goodall, Ida B. Wells, Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart and more.
Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s executive vice president and global head of Barbie & Dolls, called Walker a “blueprint for the self-made American businesswoman and innovators of the twentieth century.”
“We’re honored to welcome her into this group of trailblazing women and introduce more kids to her journey of becoming one of the nation’s first widely successful female founders,” she said in a statement.
The Madam C.J. Walker doll sold out on Amazon and Mattel within a few days of its Aug. 24 release, garnering positive feedback from adults and children alike, according to Bundles.
Bundles said she hoped the doll would not only inspire children to break barriers like Walker did but also to teach them about “real life people who had very interesting, substantial, significant lives” rarely captured in school curricula.
“For me, it’s important that young people see themselves reflected, but it’s also important that our history be represented, the full breadth of our history as Americans,” she said.
