Hopi community holds Woman's Health Fair

<i>Tyler Tawahongva/NHO</i><br>
Miss Hopi Johnetta Honie and First Attendant Jenna Lamson sit at their booth during the Women’s Health Fair.

<i>Tyler Tawahongva/NHO</i><br> Miss Hopi Johnetta Honie and First Attendant Jenna Lamson sit at their booth during the Women’s Health Fair.

POLACCA, Ariz. - In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Hopi Health Care Center held a Woman's Health Fair with the theme "Values of a Hopi Woman." On hand were different organizations that promote wellness on the reservation.

One table was sponsored by the Hopi Cancer support services. They give presentations all over the reservation to promote good health and cancer awareness and prevention. One item of concern with women is breast cancer so they recommend mammograms to detect any problems.

Another booth was sponsored by the Northern Arizona University School of Dental Hygiene. NAU has a partnership with IHS locations to provide students an opportunity to get real-world experience at dental departments. There were two students that were ready to graduate next sememester and were anxiously awaiting the ability to start working in the dental field.

Another presenter was the Hopi Special Diabetes Project. Visitors to this booth were asked what they are doing to try and keep healthy. Eating right, exercising and other answers were normally given. However the next question was: What are you going to do to put it into action? That question was harder to answer. Her suggestion is to make a friendly reminder that you can customize yourself to remind yourself to think healthy. There was a whole table of glue, crafts and construction paper to create the reminder.

The Domsetic Violence Program gave information about different services provided such as Victim's Advocate where they will help the women get to a safe place if needed and get protection from the batterer if legal protection is needed. There is a need for education for men that may be perpetrators of domestic violence, but due to funding some of these services are not available. Many times the spouse takes the abuser back and they see them again in the emergency room, so there is a need for long term education to stop the violent cycle.

The Hopi Substance Abuse and Prevention Center had a booth that promoted good eating habits to help with recovery or general well-being. Much of the information is culled from a book entitled Potatoes not Prozac that offers healthy eating tips to help with well-being.

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