Community events help Ozarkers live healthier lives
By Jay Eckersley, St. John's president/CEO

Welcome to the fall/winter edition of St. John’s Healthy People magazine.

St. John’s and our community celebrate a special anniversary in October – the 20th year of our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, located at St. John’s Regional Health Center. The NICU, an intensive-care nursery for sick and pre-term babies, holds a special place in the hearts of St. John’s staff and the families of the tiny patients it serves. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank the dedicated physicians and staff who make this special care unit what it is by working tirelessly to save and nurture these babies’ lives until they are able to go home with their parents.

As Ozarks schools are now back in full swing, we hope families had the chance to stop by St. John’s 2nd annual Back to School Bash in August. The free event, which takes place each year in the field north of St. John’s Smith-Glynn-Callaway Medical Building at Montclair and National in Springfield, educates children and their parents about health issues and community activities they can get involved in throughout the school year.

The Back to School Bash also serves as a collection point for the Salvation Army to gather donated school supplies to distribute to area children who could otherwise not afford them. This year’s bash had 35 interactive and educational booths ranging from sports and car-seat safety education to practicing shooting hockey on Jordan Valley Ice Park's synthetic ice. The event also has inflatable games for children to play on after they have visited at least 13 of the educational booths. If you didn’t get the chance to stop by this year, next year’s Back to School Bash will be even better.

Looking forward, St. John’s is gearing up for another important community event, St. John’s 3rd annual Totally Healthy Woman Retreat, which takes place Nov. 7-9 at Chateau on the Lake in Branson. Staff from across St. John’s Health System come together to bring this educational event to Ozarks women each year. This year’s retreat will feature educational sessions on everything from heart-healthy eating to spirituality, motivational speaker “Mr. Pos,” yoga and relaxation classes and even a fashion show and makeover challenge, all in the beautiful Ozarks setting of the Chateau. For more information, or to register for the retreat, please call 888-8888 or 1-800-909-TEAM.