Feb. 27--BLOOMINGTON -- Sophomore nursing students Chelsie Black and Amanda Andreasik of Illinois Wesleyan University were in a different classroom on Tuesday night.
The classroom was the Interstate Center and their classmates were about 1,700 women of various ages from throughout the Bloomington-Normal area.
Black, Andreasik and the other women were at the 10th annual Women's Health Night, hosted by Illinois Heart & Lung Foundation and Verizon. The free event included screenings for skin cancer, osteoporosis, cholesterol, blood sugar and spinal alignment, speakers on topics ranging from fat to menopause to sexually transmitted diseases, and about 70 health-related vendors.
Black, 21, said she and Andreasik, 20, received a class assignment to come to the talk on sexually transmitted diseases.
"After the talk, we decided to walk around and check things out and get free stuff, too," Black said.
Andreasik had a spinal alignment screening and found out her right side is lower than her left side, in part because of how she carries her backpack.
The two nursing students were glad that they came to the event for the first time and thought it was a good evening for Central Illinois women.
"A lot of people can't afford health insurance and don't go to the doctor unless they're sick, so this is a good way to get health information to those women," Andreasik said.
Karen DeAngelis, who has been co-chairwoman of the event since its inception, saw more college-age women at the event on Tuesday evening.
"I'm ecstatic," DeAngelis said. "We want women to start those screenings for diseases like breast cancer early and to keep going every year.
"And don't forget exercise," she continued. "Exercise releases all those endorphins and you're supposed to do it for 30 minutes each day."
Shirley Kilpatrick of Bloomington was given Reiki treatment by practitioner Karen Ridinger of Bloomington. Ridinger performed the touch therapy on Kilpatrick's forehead, eyes, the top of her head and shoulders to try to relax her.
"It's a unique experience," Kilpatrick said afterward. "The top of my head is still tingling.
"To me, this is like an alternative health night and I'm all for it," said Kilpatrick, who was at her first Women's Health Night.
Keeran award
During the evening, Vicki Tilton was presented the 2008 Gale Keeran Spirit of Success Award. Tilton, owner of Fox & Hounds Hair Studio & Day Spa in Bloomington, was recognized for her work with the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts and other organizations, her commitment to downtown Bloomington, and her support of cancer patients, including Fox & Hound's participation in Locks of Love and the Community Cancer Center's Wig Bank.
The award honors the memory of Keeran, a community leader who died in 2001.
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