Powassan fair empowering women to be driver when it comes to health

WHATSON Oct 16, 2017 by Brendan Kyle Jure Almaguin News

POWASSAN — The new community hub, 250 Clark, is hosting a women’s’ wellness fair on Oct. 21, to encourage women to take the driver’s seat when it comes to their health.

The fair will have various presentations, vendors and a lunch from the White Owl Lodge in North Bay.

Patti Fedeli is also a keynote speaker, featuring the importance of laughter and on alternative medicine.

“It will be kind of set the tone of the day, I hope, because I want the day to be positive,” said organizer Kathie Hogan. “There’s lot of things that women can do to enhance their health and that’s what we want to encourage people to do.” Hogan came up with the idea of holding two years ago after someone told her about a similar event in Bonfield.

“It was just one of those ideas that came together,” she said. “They used to them in the area in Bonfield and they were very successful and two years ago someone told me about this and the idea just percolated and I wanted to make it happen.”

The bigger space in 250 Clark has allowed her to do so. There also has been some interest in the event already, with advance tickets being sold at the White Owl Lodge and the Powassan municipal office.

The day is all about encouraging participants to look after their own health. “I think the health system is overburdened,” Hogan explained. “Not too long ago, there was an expectation that you would be looked after by your family doctor but things have changed.

Doctors are busy and we have bigger populations and there’s lots of pressure on the system.”

One presentation is about cervical cancer, hosted by Brittany Woodruff and Catherine Tratnyek from the Powassan and Area Family Health Team.

“The Ontario Government has prioritized preventive screen in three areas,” said Anna Gibson-Olajos, executive director of the Powassan and Area Family Health Team, citing cervical, colon and breast cancer.

“So this is a women’s health fair, the cervical cancer relates directly and only to women so we thought we would do a presentation on that.”

According to cancercare.on.ca, 630 women are diagnosed yearly and 150 die resulting from the disease. Cancer in the cervix, located at the opening of the uterus, is preventable if caught early from a screening.

“Well I think preventive care screening is important for everyone and it’s our job as a family health team to provide excellence and collaborative primary health care,” said Gibson-Olajos.

It is recommended by cancercare.on.ca and by the health team, women who have been sexually active have a Pap test every three years staring at age 21.

Free makeovers will also be given to three lucky participants and will be announced during the week leading up to the fair on Oct. 21.

by Brendan Kyle Jure

Email: bjure@metrolandnorthmedia.com