Spirit Girls Night Out sold out; takes place Monday

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Spirit Girls Night Out event has become one of the most popular Spirit of Women events to date, organizers said this week.

Tickets for the free Mercy Health Center-sponsored event became available about a month ago, and all outlets where tickets were available had run out by Oct. 7, Spirit of Women Coordinator Tina Rockhold said.

"In only its second year, the Spirit Girls Night Out tickets were a hot item," she said. "The committee is already making arrangements for future events to accommodate the increasing demand. We are delighted, however, that the women of our area understand the value of health education wrapped up in a delightfully fun event."

The educational and informative event, scheduled to take place Monday at Fort Cinema, 224 W. 18th St., is designed to help women learn about better health by offering valuable information about breast health, H1N1 prevention and management, blood pressure and digestive health. The event, which is part of Mercy's Spirit of Women campaign that began in 2007, will also allow participants to enjoy a free movie and refreshments with friends.

Participants will also receive a written Personal Breast Cancer Risk Assessment to determine their chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

"The risk assessments offered at Spirit of Women events are designed to help women become aware of their individual risk factors and to encourage proactive behavior in their healthcare or someone who they care for," Mercy Director of Radiology Becky Williams said.

Doors open at 5 p.m., and the movie showtime is scheduled for 6 p.m. Women are encouraged to take advantage of free health screenings and health information before the movie begins, organizers said. Mercy healthcare professionals will share details about breast self-examination techniques, preventing and managing the flu, and will also provide blood pressure checks.

Participants may also purchase new memberships and renewals for the Spirit of Women She-Power Consumer Rewards program, a card that offers the holder discounts at participating businesses, for only $15.

More than 25 local businesses have partnered in the program. Each member will receive a special key tag to present at businesses for discounts.

Other than the free screenings, an important educational segment pertaining to digestive health, titled The Gut Wrenching Truth about Digestive Disorders, will be presented in each theater before the featured movie, Mercy Director of Clinical Education Leah Lewis said.

Each ticket presented at the event will be entered in a drawing for door prizes. A $100 grand prize winner will be drawn from the completed breast cancer risk assessment forms.

For more information about Spirit Girls Night Out or the She-Power Consumer Rewards Program, call Rockhold at (620) 223-2200, ext. 2610.

Spirit of Women is a national network of leading hospitals dedicated to improving women's lives with innovative health and community programs. The network enables participating hospitals, including Mercy Health Center, to focus on community needs while providing the strength of national support.