On Sunday, July 29, Kettering Health Network presents the Empower Your Soul: Healthy Women Conference, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton. The conference is a part of Kettering Health Network’s “Healthy Women” program, which offers its members resources that help women and their families live the best lives possible.
“At Kettering Health Network, we have always had a passion for finding more ways to serve women,” said Miriam Cartmell, executive director for the Network’s Women’s and Children’s service line. “This event is a day devoted to them, to give them a break and provide information on how to manage the more challenging health issues they face.”
The conference will feature four breakout sessions covering topics such as how to manage migraines, pediatrics, menopause, beginner-level exercise and yoga, and how the region’s opioid crisis is affecting women in the community. The keynote speaker for the day will be Marci Shimoff, co-author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” Her presentation will be about the importance of life balance and how women benefit from that sense of stability.
“This is a day dedicated to women – topics that area important to them,” said Cartmell. “Women deal with their own health needs, and they are often influenced by their families’ needs, as well. We want to make this day informative, but also fun – a day where they can focus on themselves.”
Among the breakout topics for the day are those issues that have a great impact, not only on the women who are affected but everyone around them. “Mammograms & More: Early Detection at Every Age” is a program by a diagnostic radiologist, Meghan Musser, D.O., which focuses on the importance of early detection for breast cancer survival.
Another session, titled, “Menopause: A new beginning,” will highlight strategies and therapies that can help women live life to the fullest. OB/GYN William McCullough, MD, will discuss how to enjoy this next, natural stage of life and see it as a more positive change.
Besides the clinical health programs, there are two breakouts focusing on exercise and stress reduction. Beginner-level yoga and bootcamp classes will be offered as a way to keep everyone moving throughout the day.
Giving back to the community is another factor in a healthy mind and spirit. “How Being a ‘Big’ Can Change the Life of a ‘Little’” is a presentation by Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Miami Valley. Attendees can find out how to become a mentor and help change a child’s future.
“Resolving Dayton’s Food Desert Crisis” takes a look at areas of Dayton identified as the second-largest food desert in the United States. Etana Jacobi of Gem City Market will explain how to become a member of a new food co-op that is coming to Dayton with the goal of increasing access to nutrition for those who need it most. These are just a few of the programs on the agenda.
Along with breakout sessions and health presentations, there will be a vendor marketplace to highlight organizations and dedicated women’s services. A box lunch from Citilites Restaurant is included, as well as door prizes and special giveaways. General admission is $25 per person, but “Healthy Women” members can get tickets at a discounted rate of $15. Click here for more information or to register online for the Empower Your Soul: Healthy Women Conference 2018.
