Free Screenings and More Available at Women's Health Fair

By Allison Canter

In these hard economic times, it is easy to forget or put off the things that are most important to maintain, like health, according to Janet Braithwaite, program coordinator for Community Outreach at Ashe Memorial Hospital. Making good lifestyle choices is the best thing women can do for their health and their families' health, and the upcoming Ashe County Women's Health Fair will offer a good place to start.

Ashe Memorial Hospital and the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation will present the first women's health fair on Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at Jefferson Station in West Jefferson. "Many facets of women's health from adolescence, conception years, motherhood and on into golden years," will be featured at the fair, according to Braithwaite.

"Things seem to be too expensive or too far away. Knowing that there are resouces in the county that can help support our efforts to get and stay healthy, resources from financial to care providers that are

available, we are better able to help ourselves," said Braithwaite. "We want the community to understand that feeling good and being well is a major part of being successful in any challenge, even economic ones."

The Ashe Women's Health Fair is designed to bring to one location, for one morning, much of the information and the many resources the women of Ashe need to make the choices to keep themselves and their families feeling good and being healthy. Free cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and more personal screenings will be available to the women of Ashe.

Starting with healthier pregnancies and healthier lifestyles, local physicans, Ashe Memorial Hospital and the Ashe County Health Department are also doing their part to help keep the community healthy. Ashe Memorial Hospital's Imaging Department will be present to provide bone density readings. The Obstetrics (OB) Department will be featuring information about the services at the Wilma Vannoy Birthing Center. "Most people don't know that mom and dad get a steak dinner in the Birthing Center," explains Polly Osowitt, nurse manager in the OB Unit at Ashe Memorial Hospital.

"With these initial screenings you will also receive counseling as to what the results mean and suggestions of what your next step should be - if any," said Braithwaite.

Many groups will be represented at the fair, including Ashe Memorial Hospital, Mountain Hearts Wellness Center, Ashe Partnership for Children, Ashe Health Department, Ashe Pregnancy Center and local health providers. Others to be represented include massage therapy, yoga, acupuncture, Threads of Hope Thrift Boutique, Ask the Doctor sessions, a coloring table for kids and a great community of people.

Door prizes have been donated by local businesses and the first 100 people through the door will receive a bag of goodies and lots of information. All the booths will also have brochures and people to talk with and answer questions. Also, those filling out an evaluation forms will have their name put in for a drawing for a three-month membership at Mountain Hearts.

A lot of hard work goes into putting the health fair together. Ashe Memorial Hospital's Community Outreach Department has organized the fair. As far as how long it takes to put the event together, Braithwaite said, "In a perfect world, six months. In reality, about five weeks."

The Ashe Women's Fair is funded by a grant from the N.C. Healthy Start Foundation. "The Fair is supported and could not happen without Ashe Memorial Hospital, Ashe Health Department and Ashe Partnership for Children," said Braithwaite.

AMH's Community Outreach Department offered thanks to the media "for always letting the community know that our events are happening. We thank Ashe Memorial Hospital, Ashe Health Department and Ashe Partnership for Children. Thanks to the folks who are coming out to support the booths, community churches for helping us to inform the women of their congregations about the fair and the volunteers that always make the day work."

The fair is the first of its kind in Ashe County, according to Braithwaite. "The Ashe Memorial Hospital Community Outreach Department is known throughout North Carolina as responsive and pro-active. The successes of the department are due solely to the support, enthusiasm and participation of the many active agencies and community members who serve on committees and councils. Without their help, none of what we do could happen. We send out a heart-felt thank you," she said.

Those interested in exhibiting their services should focus on how to encourage women and their families to become and stay healthy and may call (336) 846-0781 for more information.