“Thumbs Up Johnnie”

Surrounded by a lively band of characters, including Lillian Pinky, Buddy, Banker Bill, Dimestore Sam and Hi Five Handy, Thumbs Up Johnnie is the creation of author Michelle Bain. Her quest to create a world where children can learn through humor and by example of virtue has been her primary motivator. Bain’s writing expression, illustration and character development encourages children to embody various virtues in their daily life.

“As a child, reading fueled my imagination and gave me an appetite for writing as an art,” said Bain, who created Thumbs Up Johnnie in 2002. “My stories are purposely structured with multi-layered humor, double entendres and idiosyncratic characters to make story lines interesting to many different types of readers.”

As part of Managed Health Services’ statewide campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of childhood obesity, a nationally known cartoon character will bring a very special message to students in Gary on Monday, one that warns them about the dangers of not living an active and healthy life. 

Bain (left) will read her latest book, “Super CENTEAM 5: The Adventures of Thumbs Up Johnnie,” written to help fight childhood obesity, to students at Longfellow Elementary in Gary on Monday beginning at 9 a.m. CST. Longfellow Elementary is located at 4500 Calhoun St.

Thumbs Up Johnnie will make a personal appearance at the school. Students will receive autographed copies of Bain’s book, character-themed bracelets and will take part in a pre- and a post-presentation test that will be issued by their classroom teachers.

Bain’s appearance Monday is part of the “Adopt a School” program sponsored nationally by Centene Corp. and in Indiana by Centene-owned Managed Health Services (MHS), one of the state’s healthcare providers for Hoosiers on Medicaid.

MHS will also be providing free flu prevention materials, a “Kids Club” newsletter for children and health-related giveaways and snacks throughout the day. Those attending may also enter an after-school healthy recipe contest sponsored by MHS. Attendees with children ages 6 months to 2 years old are also encouraged to have their children undergo lead testing. Early detection of a child’s exposure to lead results in early medical intervention and treatment.

Thursday’s Gary event is the latest in a series of statewide Health Check Health Day events MHS is hosting to promote a “Live Healthy. Stay Healthy.” message and encourage its members of all ages to schedule annual examinations and routine health screenings with their local doctors.

Nearly 25 technician and medical assisting externs from Ivy Tech’s central Indiana campus will be performing the screenings. Judy Ward, a program director at Ivy Tech’s School of Health Sciences, says the experience that the externs will gain from performing the screenings at MHS events will be invaluable. “To gain actual experience in dealing with many different types of patients in a health screening setting is the type of real-life situation and scenarios that cannot be reproduced in the classroom.”

The free screenings are being offered at a great time. According to the Indiana State Department of Health, more than 8 percent of the adult population has been diagnosed with diabetes compared to the national average of 7.5 percent. Indiana is also burdened with a rising number of children diagnosed with obesity and diabetes. This chronic disease was the sixth leading cause of death in Indiana in 2005, ranking fourth for African Americans, seventh for Caucasians and sixth for Hispanics/Latinos.

MHS currently has heightened diabetes awareness campaigns designed to educate its members about the importance of preventing the onset of diabetes and identify those in need of treatment in several communities, including Muncie, Elkhart, Gary and Bloomington.