A Time for Thanks

The thought of Thanksgiving brings with it different associations for each of us. For some it’s the image of the traditional Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing along with cranberry sauce or pumpkin pie. For others it’s the colorful and iconic floats in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And for some others it’s the thought of throwing around the football in the backyard and then watching a few games on the television. However, even if we have different images or traditions we associate with the holiday, the one thing that cannot be overlooked is the real reason for this yearly celebration.

As we know the first “Thanksgiving” took place in 1621 when the Plymouth colonists held an autumn feast as a show of thanks to the Wampanoag Indians, who had helped the colonists survive in the new world. Thanksgiving meals went on to become an annual occurrence in the New England states and then throughout the country. It was finally in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an official national holiday in a proclamation that called on Americans to ask God to “commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” of the Civil War, and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

Today as we celebrate Thanksgiving, it is our obligation to not forget the origins of this holiday or the reason it has persisted as an important moment of thankful contemplation each and every year.  From the trying times faced by the colonists to the strife this nation endured during the Civil War to the many other events and moments that have tested our national resolve, our country has endured and persevered against overwhelming odds. As citizens of this great nation, we must be thankful for the many blessings and freedoms that go hand in hand with being an American.

So on Thursday when the turkey is on the table and the football game is on the television, look past the traditional images of the holiday and focus instead on what really matters. Regardless of the difficulties or setbacks we may face in our personal lives, we continue to be part of something truly remarkable as we live in a land where dreams can and do come true. I hope on this Thanksgiving as you spend time with family and friends that you also can find a few moments to appreciate the fact our nation is a land of bountiful opportunity and unparalleled freedom. 

Missouri Receives Good News with Latest Employment Statistics

As Missourians celebrate Thanksgiving, they can also be thankful for continued job growth in the Show-Me State. The Missouri Department of Economic Development recently released numbers for the state’s unemployment rate in October and it was good news for the state. Missouri’s unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent in October, which is the lowest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate the state has seen since July 2000. In comparison, the state unemployment rate was at 4.6 percent the same time last year, and the current national rate for the month of October is at 4.1 percent. Missouri’s seasonally adjusted rate has now been below the comparable national rate for 31 consecutive months. In total for the year, Missouri has seen nonfarm payroll employment increase by 30,700 jobs.

Pancreatic Cancer 

It’s during November that people in Missouri and around the world pause to recognize Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month to highlight the need for greater awareness, funding, and research for pancreatic cancer. It was in 2013 that the state legislature passed HB 68 to designate the awareness month in Missouri to encourage citizens to participate in activities and events to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer, which is incurable and has a low rate of survival due to the advanced stage of the disease when symptoms typically present themselves.

Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal cells within the pancreas grow out of control and form a tumor. The pancreas is a gland in the abdomen that lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine, with two main functions: digestion and blood sugar regulation. Every day, more than 1,000 people worldwide will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Of that, an estimated 985 will die from the disease. Additionally, pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate among all major cancers, and in nearly every country it is the only major cancer with a single-digit five-year survival rate.

There is currently no screening test or early detection method for pancreatic cancer, and though research is being conducted in these areas, knowing the symptoms and risks remains the key to early diagnosis. Research shows that patients diagnosed in time for surgery are more likely to live five years and beyond. To learn more about the symptoms and risks, please visit www.worldpancreaticcancerday.org.