King Center to host second annual 'Health and Wellness Forum'

The King Center announced that it will officially launch the 2010 MLK Birthday Observance on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 by hosting and co-sponsoring its second annual “Health and Wellness Forum.” It is being co-sponsored by a $50,000 grant from Aetna (NYSE: AET), which also funded last year’s inaugural program.

“The Children’s Nutrition Education & Physical Activity Expo by C.H.O.I.C.E.S.”

The program, which will be held at locations within the King Historic Site in Atlanta, is free of charge to the public. Aetna provides health benefits to more than 600,000 members in Georgia.

The Health and Wellness Forum will include a three-session “Town Hall Meeting” on health, nutrition, recreation and wellness, conducted by leading medical experts, for Metro Atlanta communities; a “Health and Wellness Fair” providing free medical tests and screenings and “The Children’s Nutrition Education & Physical Activity Expo by C.H.O.I.C.E.S.”

“We are delighted to join with Aetna once again in presenting the Health and Wellness Forum as part of our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observance,” said Isaac Newton Farris Jr., president and chief executive officer of The King Center. “This wonderful program has proven to be an invaluable asset to Atlanta inner city residents, and last year more than 1,000 people in our community benefited from the free testing, screenings and educational programs.”

“Aetna welcomes the opportunity to join the King Center in this vitally important effort,” said Cynthia Follmer, Aetna’s Georgia market president. “At a time when our nation is evaluating ways to bring meaningful reform to the health care system, it is very important to help people learn to better manage their own health. Diseases like diabetes and obesity are serious threats to our future, especially in the African American community. Working with the King Center, Aetna is confident projects like this one can make a real difference in improving awareness and wellness in Atlanta.”

In addition to providing potentially life-saving information, the Health & Wellness Forum will provide free medical test and screenings for attendees, with a total value of more than $1,000.

Targeting youth K-12, adults, educators and community leaders, participants will be screened and tested for cholesterol levels, blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, breast and skin cancer, lung capacity, asthma, dental health, vision and hearing. Organ donor information and chair massages will also be provided. The Town Hall meeting will provide life-saving information about childhood obesity, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma and other medical disparities to empower people to achieve better health, wellness and nutrition and help correct disparities in Atlanta communities.

Source: Aetna