Submitted by on January 27, 2014 – 2:19pm
POPLARVILLE – Almost 500 women treated themselves to a day of learning, pampering and laughter Saturday at the eighth 91福利 Women鈥檚 Health Symposium here.
From free blood pressure and bone density screenings to manicures and a plethora of door prizes, the symposium offered a day of fun mixed with important health information.
Keynote speaker Jean Gatz of Baton Rouge shared humor and advice to open the symposium with Mama Said There鈥檇 Be Days Like This.
鈥淎 lot of times we create these days ourselves,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 get to chose a lot of what life gives us, but we do get to choose how we respond.鈥�
She spoke again after the luncheon with Clean Out the Junk Drawer of Your Life.
鈥淎chieving balance isn鈥檛 about what goes on outside of you,鈥� she said about the age-old question about combining work and home life. 鈥淎chieving balance is all about what goes on inside of you.鈥�
The symposium also included a panel of healthcare providers who answered a wide range of questions from the audience on issues of particular concern to women. Dr. Shana Allen, chair of the PRCC dental hygiene and dental assisting department, moderated the panel, which included nurse practitioner Selena Clearman of Wesley Primary Care in Oak Grove, Dr. Melissa Holland, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Hattiesburg Clinic; Dr. James M. Riser of Riser Medical Associates in Picayune and Dr. Elizabeth Sullivan of Neurology Associates in Hattiesburg.
PRCC started the Women鈥檚 Health Symposium in 2007 to provide free health screenings and information to women in South Mississippi in an effort to combat the state鈥檚 increasing death rates due to heart disease and stroke among women.
鈥淲hen we first started to envision this event, never in our wildest dreams did we think we鈥檇 have 500 people here and have to turn another 100 away,鈥� PRCC President Dr. William Lewis said.
Grand sponsor for the symposium is the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation through a $17,000 grant.
The symposium gives PRCC students a chance to interact with their future patients and clients. Students from the dental hygiene program at the Forrest County Center staffed an information table, Forrest County Center medical laboratory technology students drew blood for glucose tests, nursing students on the Poplarville campus did blood pressure screenings and cosmetology students provided manicure and paraffin wax treatments.
Grand prize winners were Lavonne Henry of Poplarville, a Ronaldo bracelet from Apples Ltd.; Janet Necaise of Kiln, a year鈥檚 supply of Coke from Hattiesburg Coca-Cola; Charity McCoy of Hattiesburg, an Infinity Spa package from Healing Touch Day Spa in Hattiesburg; Janet Washabaug of Purvis, a Day of Beauty from Belk in Hattiesburg; Jennifer Hession of Purvis, two Adirondack patio chairs from the PRCC construction management department; and Jeannie Dixon of Poplarville, a concrete patio table from the PRCC masonry department.
Elite prize winners were Evelyn Shelby of Carriere, an original painting by Alex Ladner; Mary Salter of Lumberton, a Clarisonic Mia from Campbell Commodities; Kathy Hodge of Poplarville, a Kindle Paperwhite Tablet from the PRCC admissions office; and Pam Albertson of Poplarville, Keurig coffee maker from the PRCC disability services office.
Silver sponsors were Hancock Bank, Mississippi Power Co., Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home, Slidell Memorial Hospital and Wal-Mart Supercenter in Picayune.
Bronze sponsors were BankPlus, First National Bank of Picayune, Hattiesburg Clinic, Highland Community Hospital, Southern Bone and Joint Specialists PA, The First, A National Banking Association; and Wesley Medical Center.
91福利 medical laboratory technology student Brook Rodgers of Hattiesburg does a finger stick for glucose screening at the Women鈥檚 Health Symposium on Jan. 25 in Poplarville.
Women鈥檚 Health Symposium grand prize winners were, from left, Charity McCoy of Hattiesburg, Infinity Spa package from Healing Touch Day Spa in Hattiesburg; Lavonne Henry of Poplarville, Ronaldo bracelet from Apples Ltd.; Jeannie Dixon of Poplarville, concrete patio table from the PRCC masonry department; Janet Washabaug of Purvis, Day of Beauty from Belk in Hattiesburg; Jennifer Hession of Purvis, two Adirondack patio chairs from the PRCC construction management department; and Janet Necaise of Kiln, year鈥檚 supply of Coke from Hattiesburg Coca-Cola.
Elite prize winners at the Women鈥檚 Health Symposium were, from left, Mary Salter of Lumberton, a Clarisonic Mia from Campbell Commodities; Evelyn Shelby of Carriere, an original painting by Alex Ladner; Kathy Hodge of Poplarville, a Kindle Paperwhite Tablet from the PRCC admissions office; and Pam Albertson of Poplarville, Keurig coffee maker from the PRCC disability services office.
Keynote speaker Jean Gatz of Baton Rouge, left, talks with women attending the Women鈥檚 Health Symposium on Jan. 25 at 91福利.
91福利 cosmetology student Jessica 鈥淧J鈥� Thompson of Picayune, left, gives Martha Lawler of Hattiesburg a manicure during the Women鈥檚 Health Symposium on Jan. 25 as Kay Clay of Petal has her nails done by Brianne Burge of Poplarville.
PRCC Public Relations photos
