Women’s Health Week Draws More than 3,000 Members

It really says something when more than 3,000 members participate in an event, and we are happy to report that this year’s Women’s Health Week surpassed that number by quite a bit. That’s great news because the good health of our members and their families is always a primary goal of our Union.

The theme of Women’s Health Week 2013 was “It’s time to take control of your health.” It emphasized the many health factors that all of us can control to ensure longer, healthier lives. We can control whether we smoke. We can control whether we get enough exercise. We can control our weight and we can control stress. Messages like these were driven home during Women’s Health Week and plenty of members appreciated it.

Women who visited any of the Health and Dental Centers for Women’s Health Week did not need an appointment to be able to receive testing and an exam that allows doctors to detect early signs of different types of cancer. Tests were also provided to measure members’ blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as other health indicators. As always, information was provided on a number of other health issues that are specific to women, including menopause, infertility, osteoporosis, family planning and certain infectious diseases. Members could also get flu shots, which, we should add, remain available to all members and their families at the Health Centers without appointments being necessary.

“It’s really heartening to see so many members taking advantage of the benefits offered by Women’s Health Week,” said Dr. Robert Greenspan, the Chief Executive Officer of the Benefit Funds Office. “We continue to emphasize the importance of early detection of certain conditions, and screening, testing and health education are some of the valuable services that were offered.

Members who attended Women’s Health Week were also reminded about the importance of a good diet and regular exercise. Yes, eating the right foods and getting regular exercise can reduce one’s risk of heart disease. But it is now known that eating right and exercising regularly can do more than that. Good food and regular exercise can relieve stress, help you sleep better, and can also reduce the risk of various forms of cancer. The advice dispensed at Women’s Health Week was to stay active — even walking every day can greatly lower one’s chances of a heart attack or cancer.

Brochures and demonstrations were also available on topics like osteoporosis, diabetes, how to lose weight, etc. and there was plenty of information available on the Health Centers’ award-winning program to help members quit smoking.

The staffs at the Health and Dental Centers work very hard to make health awareness events like Kids’ Days and Women’s Health Week a valuable experience for those who attend. There’s a reason for this, Dr. Greenspan said. “In our busy lives a lot of us struggle to find the time to make sure we are in the best health possible. Women’s Health Week is designed to afford women members the opportunity to invest just an hour or two in their health, without having to make an appointment to do so,” Greenspan said. “That’s why the strong attendance at Women’s Health Week 2013 was so gratifying.”

Women’s Health Week drew more than 3,000 members, including those seen here with staff at the Harlem Health Center.