Women pack into 11th health symposium

Submitted by jbraswell on January 30, 2017 – 9:22am

POPLARVILLE – Pearl River Community College celebrated mothers, daughters and sisters Saturday, Jan. 28, at the 11th annual Women’s Health Symposium.
“Today is about you,” guest speaker Linda Larsen said. “You don’t get the credit you deserve. But today you will.”
The day provided approximately 500 women valuable health information and screenings, shopping and entertainment, lunch and words of humor and wisdom from Larsen.
Joy and happiness are healthier than their opposites and individuals control the way events affect them, she said.
“We give situations names all the time,” she said. “What you name the thing is what it ultimately becomes.”
She encouraged the women to believe in their own resiliency but recognize when it is time to get professional help.
“Everyone in this room has had something happen that makes them stronger, more compassionate,” she said.
The symposium featured a panel of six healthcare professionals who talked about their areas of expertise: Dr. Omolara Y. Otaigbe of Merit Health, hormone replacement therapy; Dr. Arthur C. Martin of Hattiesburg Clinic, heart disease; Dr. Rob Robertson, Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, foot and ankle health; Gina Rivero, FNP-C, Highland Community Hospital, diabetes; PRCC alumnus Dr. Janice Touchstone, Terrace Hill Dental Center, dental health; and Dr. Jennifer Trihoulis, Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home, depression.
Dr. Shana Allen, director of the PRCC dental hygiene program, moderated the panel.
The Voices, under the direction of PRCC choral director LaDona Tyson, provided luncheon entertainment.
Grand sponsor for the symposium was the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation. Silver sponsors were Hancock Bank, Valley Services, Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home, Mississippi Power Co. and Wal-Mart Supercenter of Picayune.
Bronze sponsors were BankPlus, First National Bank of Picayune, Hattiesburg Clinic, Highland Community Hospital, Merit Health Wesley and Southern Bone and Joint Specialists.
More than 125 door prizes were given away during the day. The grand prize – a bench created by the welding department at the Forrest County Center and valued at $2,000 – went to Chellie Amacker of Poplarville.
Additional PRCC students partcipating included associate degree nursing, cosmetology, Wildcat Wellness Center, Honors Institute, art program; medical laboratory technology and dental hygiene at the Forrest County Center.
The 12th Women’s Health Symposium will be held Saturday, Jan. 27.

Dr. Janice Touchstone, a Pearl River Community College alumnus, talks about dental health during the PRCC Women’s Health Symposium on Saturday, Jan. 28.
PRCC Public Relations photo


Shirley Barrett of Lumberton shows off the earrings she won as a door prize at the Women’s Health Symposium Saturday, Jan. 28, at Pearl River Community College.
PRCC Public Relations photo

Each community college president is asked to bring two (2) wrapped door prizes, minimum value of $50 each. We will have a station set up at the conference for you to drop off the door prizes.

Each community college is asked to provide name tags for their Board members, administration, and staff attending the conference.