Tuesday, March 24, 2009

UIS hosts 11th annual Health Awareness Day

The University of Illinois’ Masters in Public Health Student Association and Campus Health Services will host the 11th annual Health Awareness Day on Wednesday, April 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center (PAC) lobby and conference rooms on the concourse level of the PAC.

The event is held to educate the university community and others in the Springfield and surrounding area about positive health practices. Representatives from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, St. John’s Hospital and Memorial Medical Center will be present.

The keynote speaker for the event is Dr. John K. Lee, a first-year resident in Family Medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Lee’s topic is “The secret of supplements: do they really work?” The presentation will be held in conference room F on the lower level of the PAC from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and lunch and drinks will be served.

Screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, bone density, cholesterol and more will be offered, as well as testicular and prostrate exams given by Springfield Clinic. Information about topics such as healthy eating and decreasing stress will be available. UIS’ Recreation and Athletic Center will also perform fitness testing and give participants a detailed analysis of their health.

Attendees to the event are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to a local food pantry. Attendees who complete an evaluation form about the day will be entered into a drawing for prizes donated by individuals and organizations in the Springfield community.

UIS’ Health Awareness Day is held in coordination with National Public Health Week, which is organized by the American Public Health Association. The theme of this year’s National Public Health Week is “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America.”

For more information about Health Awareness Day at UIS, contact Linda Tait at ltait2@uis.edu or 217/206-6676.