Health News

BOARDMAN

Nearly 35 percent of kids in Ohio are overweight or obese. The number rises to 38 percent in the Mahoning Valley and 43 percent in Trumbull County.

The Mahoning Valley Healthy Kids Coalition, led by Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, aims to reduce those numbers through two free fitness and nutrition programs: The six-week Fitness Lifestyle Challenge for kids 7-15 years old and “Fitness Fun” Storytimes for preschoolers, said Melody Case, wellness and youth fitness specialist at Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley.

The Fitness Lifestyle Challenge is free to students but requires registration. For information and to register, visit www.akronchildrens.org/healthykids.

Upcoming 2015 class dates and locations include: Sept. 14-Oct. 23, Trumbull Family Fitness in Warren; Sept. 15-Oct. 22, The Mayor Ralph A. Infante Wellness Center in Niles; Oct. 26-Dec. 4, Youngstown Central YMCA in Youngstown, and Oct. 26-Dec. 4, The Davis Family YMCA in Boardman.

NILES

St. Joe’s at the Mall (SJATM), an outreach program of Mercy Health Youngstown, formerly Humility of Mary Health Partners, is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Located next to Sears at the Eastwood Mall, SJATM provides durable home medical equipment and offers wellness and fitness classes and programs.

Free blood pressure screenings are offered from 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and from 2 to 4 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday; “Strong Bones ~ Strong People,” a free 12-week program of personalized strength training for those who have osteoporosis, low bone density or are at risk to improve muscle strength; and strength training for weight management is available for a monthly fee.; St. Joe’s at the Mall is a SilverSneakers Æ and Silver & Fit site. Persons with a Medicare Part C plan may be eligible to participate without a fee.

Call 330-652-7542 for information about programs and exercise classes offered.

YOUNGSTOWN

The Yellow Brick Place is having a grand opening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 12 at its new location at 2959 Canfield Road, Suite 10 and Suite 3 in Brandywine Plaza in Cornersburg.

The mission of Yellow Brick Place, co-founded by Donna Detwiler of North Lima and Anna Aey of Canfield, is to help people in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties who suffer from cancer by providing resources to lead them to fulfilling and self-directed lives. All services are free of charge and are non-medical.

For information, visit www.yellowbrickplace.org call Detwiler at 330-770-0808.

YOUNGSTOWN

Mercy Health physicians Drs. Allen Amorn ok and Lucas Henn ok will discuss techniques and technologies for treating valvular heart disease and atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat on Sept. 15 at the Holiday Inn – Boardman, 7410 South Ave.

A cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Amorn specializes in treating cardiac arrhythmias; Dr. Henn is a cardiothoracic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive and transcatheter technologies.

Doors open at 5 p.m., a dinner buffet begins at 5:30 p.m. and the program starts at 6 p.m. Cost for the program including dinner is $20. Registrations are due by Sept. 7. For information about continuing education credits and to register, call 330-480-5378.