Phoebe health fair will turn the spotlight on Albany area women on Saturday

ALBANY – A Saturday health fair will encourage area women to dig into their roots, with an eye toward using their family health histories to better manage preventive health care, with a special treat of a spa treatment and other swag for the women in attendance.

The 2024 Phoebe Women’s Health Fair will be held from 8 a.m.-noon at the Albany State University West Campus gym.

“This year our theme is ‘Roots of Wellness,’” Keisa Mansfield, manager of clinical research, genetic testing, community outreach and oncology wellness for the Phoebe Putney Health System, said. “We have a little tagline: ‘Let’s explore our genetic roots and cultivate a healthier you.’

“It’s a day of understanding how your genetics affect your health and wellness. We’ll talk about family history and how that applies to you.”

Some types of cancer are genetically linked, so individuals who have a first-degree relative who had cancer or a family history of cancer should know how that history can affect their own health, Mansfield said. A first-degree relative is a parent or sibling.

“It’s super important to know first-degree relatives’ (histories),” she said.

The speaker for the event is Mellissa B. Davis, director of the institute of translational genomic medicine and team lead of the Societal, Ancestry, Molecular and Biological Analyses of Inequalities at the Morehouse College of Medicine.

“She is a distinguished investigator with the Georgia Research Alliance,” Mansfield said of Davis.

The annual October women’s wellness event is held in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is a counterpart to the Men’s Health Fair held each spring.

The Saturday event includes health screenings from 8-10 a.m., including glucose and cholesterol checks, the latter of which requires a blood draw. Mini facials and paraffin hand-waxing also will be available.

In addition, attendees will receive an event T-shirt, Phoebe bag while supplies last and fresh fruits and vegetables to take home. Continental breakfasts and lunches will be served, and vendors will be on hand as well.

The health fair has been a big hit, and last year more than 400 attended, Mansfield said.

“They had such a great time,” she said. “It’s fun for the participants and it’s really fun for the staff, too. We really would like to see people get there early because we expect a bigger crowd this year.”

Special Photo: PhoebeSpecial Photo: Phoebe