Health Happening wellness fair to be held Oct. 28

School of Medicine employees will have a chance to test their fitness and learn about smoking cessation at the Health Happening wellness fair Oct. 28 from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

The fall Health Happening event, "Form, Fitness and Function," is sponsored by the University's Wellness Council. It will be held in the first-floor atrium of the McDonnell Pediatrics Research Building on Children's Place and is free to all School of Medicine employees.

Seasonal flu shots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for those who have not yet received one.

Faculty and doctoral students from the Program in Physical Therapy will provide the screenings for blood pressure, posture, body composition, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, balance, foot function and sensation. Each participant will receive results from the tests and screenings. All results will be kept confidential.

"These assessments have been very popular at previous Health Happening wellness fairs, and employees have requested more," said Legail Chandler, director of human resources at the School of Medicine.

Employees can also learn how to participate in research studies in the Program in Physical Therapy.

There also will be information on smoking cessation classes available to the School of Medicine community, as well as information on wellness, disease prevention, exercise and making healthy lifestyle changes.

Susan Deusinger, Ph.D., professor and executive director of the Program in Physical Therapy, and Susan Racette, Ph.D., research assistant professor of physical therapy and of medicine, will aggregate results of the fitness assessments and present findings to the Wellness Council. The results may be used to identify health needs among School of Medicine employees.