April 20, 2007

New Health and Fitness Expo: A showcase for MGH caregivers

Channel 7/CW 56 and Partners HealthCare are coming together June 23 and 24 for an exciting new event — the Health and Fitness Expo at Boston's Hynes Convention Center. Open to the community, this free event will give MGH caregivers and staff the opportunity to showcase the innovative services available at the hospital.

The Boston Health and Fitness Expo will feature:
• Free medical screenings and information about health insurance;
• Interactive sports clinics, fitness, health activities and demonstrations for the entire family, including ballroom dancing for children and adults, Double Dutch jump rope, a scuba tank, virtual golf and a snowboard simulator;
• "Cooking with the Dish" healthy cooking demonstrations with Channel 7's
Frances Rivera and celebrity chefs;
• Celebrity guests from the sports and entertainment world, including Channel 7 news personalities, New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, Boston Pops Orchestra conductor Keith Lockhart and members of the New England Revolution.

The MGH is organizing a number of exciting activities, including:
• MGH Digestive Healthcare Center: The expo will feature an exhibit on gastrointestinal health with the Colossal Colon® — a 40-foot-long, 4-foot-high model of the human colon — to teach attendees about digestive health and how to prevent colon cancer and other diseases.
• Caring for the Whole Person: The HOPES program of the MGH Cancer Center is dedicated to treating the mind, body and spirit of individuals undergoing cancer treatment. HOPES staff will provide education and wellness services such as chair massages and relaxation techniques for individuals and their families.
• Women's Heart Health Program: MGH experts will provide education about the risks, prevention and treatment options specific to women. Smoking-cessation resources also will be available.
• Staying Active without Injury: Members of the MGH Department of Orthopædics Sports Medicine Center and the Sports Physical Therapy Service will provide tips for the prevention and management of common injuries such as back pain, tennis elbow and rotator cuff tendonitis. Injury management tips for parents and youth league coaches also will be available.
• Your Body for Kids: Children can learn about the heart, circulatory system and brain through fun, hands-on exhibits presented by staff from the MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Children's fingerprinting and information on child safety and nutrition will be available.

The MGH will be featured in Channel 7 News HealthCasts, a half-hour television special, and television advertising in the upcoming weeks. More information will be available in future issues of the MGH Hotline. To volunteer at the event, contact Amanda Westerling at (617) 643-2366 or awesterling@partners.org.