Mercy sponsors second Girls Night Out event

Mercy Health Center has partnered with the Fort Cinema to host the second annual Spirit Girls Night Out program on Monday, Oct. 19.

The educational and informative event is designed to help women find their "Best Health Now" by offering them valuable information about breast health, flu prevention, and digestive health while enjoying a free "chick flick" with their friends, a Mercy Health Center statement said.

Doors open for free health screenings at 5 p.m., and the movie showtime is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the theater, 224 W. 18th St. The three movie choices for this year's event are "P.S. I Love You," "The Wedding Date," and "Step Mom."

"Spirit Girls Night Out allows women to gain an understanding of the latest news in women's health while recharging their spirit and celebrating their commitment to feeling their best," Mercy Health System of Kansas Chief Operations Officer Reta Baker said. "The program offers women the chance to get away from their everyday worries with their girlfriends, relax with a movie, and obtain health information that could profoundly impact their overall health and the health of their family members."

Women are encouraged to take advantage of free screenings and health-related information before showtime. Mercy healthcare professionals will share details about breast self-examination techniques, preventing and managing the flu, and will also provide blood pressure checks.

Ladies may also purchase new memberships and renewals for the Spirit of Women She-Power Consumer Rewards program, a card that offers discounts at participating businesses, for only $15, the Mercy statement said.

Statistics show that breast and cervical cancer are two of the leading malignancies that occur in women -- together affecting more than 220,000 Americans in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza is ranked number seven on the list of leading causes of death in the United States. Additionally, between 60 and 70 million people are affected by all digestive diseases or disorders, according to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse.

"Our goal is to provide health education, health screenings, and fun activities which engage women to become more aware of common health issues affecting them today," Mercy Health Center Director of Wellness and Development Tina Rockhold said.

Besides the health screenings, an important educational segment pertaining to digestive health, called The Gut Wrenching Truth about Digestive Disorders, will be presented in each theater before the featured movie, Rockhold added.

The Spirit Girls Night Out event at Fort Cinema is free of charge and open to the public, but tickets are required and are limited to two tickets per person. Tickets are available at the Mercy Health Center registration desk, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd., the Mercy Medical Plaza registration desk, 902 S. Horton St., and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall St. A limited number of tickets are also available at the new Mercy Medical Clinic of Linn County, 11155 Tucker Road, Pleasanton.

For more information, call Rockhold at (620) 223-2200, extension 2610.

Spirit of Women is a national network of leading hospitals dedicated to improving women's lives with innovative health and community programs. The network enables participating hospitals, including Mercy Health Center, to focus on community needs while providing the strength of national support, the Mercy statement said.