A participant receives a blood pressure check at the West Hawaii Community Health Center information booth. (Photo special to Hawaii 24/7 by Jason Lee)

Special to Hawaii 224/7 by Emily Mendez-Bryant | Community Relations Kona Community Hospital

Kona Community Hospital (KCH) hosted its third annual Ladies Night Out event Saturday, May 22 at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa. The evening was filled with laughter, smiles and fun from ladies of all ages with a focus on health.

This year’s theme “Exploring the World of Healthcare” promoted an interactive way for women of the West Hawaii community to think about health and wellness.

Each attendee was given a mock passport and was required to receive at least ten stamps from the 28 information booths before receiving any complimentary services such as massage or haircuts.

The layout of the Convention Center represented the seven continents. Participants of the fair joked around making comments such as “Let’s go visit Antarctica,” where Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii provided free glucose and cholesterol screenings.

Jenna Rosborough, Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii client account representative, said, “At this year’s Ladies Night Out event, we did 150 blood draws which equates to $4,500 free services to our community, over half more than last year.”

Among the 28 information booths were Kona Ohana Dental (fluoride rinses and dental screenings), West Hawaii Community Health Center (blood pressure checks) and KCH’s Registered Dietitian, Ava Carter providing diabetes and nutrition information.

With more 500 attendees, the event drew in more people than ever before.

“This was a perfect opportunity for women to take time out of their busy lives and think about their health,” said Kathryn Harter, KCH’s Chief Nurse Executive. “Our community is full of resources and services. It was wonderful to see the number of women taking care of themselves.”

Jasmin Kiernan, West Hawaii Community Health Center’s Director of Nursing, said, “It brings our community together. We wanted attendees to come away with a sense of community pride, feel empowered that they can make better choices about their health, and the importance of taking time to nurture themselves.”

The event is primarily volunteer-driven, and featured fitness demonstrations and complimentary services such as haircuts, manicures, massages, healing touch and make-up consultations from volunteers in our community.

Sponsors included American Cancer Society, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, Kona Community Hospital Auxiliary, West Hawaii Community Health Center and West Hawaii Perinatal Local Area Consortium.

The Ladies Night Out committee estimates more than $20,000 of free services was provided to the community during the event, a perfect example of what our community can do for one another. This event’s success is dependent on volunteers and the community.

For further information about the program or how to help can, contact Kona Community Hospital at 322-6960 or ebryant@hhsc.org.