Ross Gallabrese COORDINATORS — Putting the finishing touches on plans for Minority Health Month activities are, from left, front, Dr. Vanessa Palmer, Sandi Rue, Sandra Johnson and Cynthia Lytle; and back, Michael Hauber, Jalil Harvey, Cheryl Johnson and Erica Johnson.

STEUBENVILLE — Providing information and offering ways to improve lives are among the goals of Minority Health Month.

Events planned around the area during the next several weeks are designed to help fulfill that mission.

“We recognize April as a month where we can educate and build awareness regarding disparities in health care,” explained Cynthia Lytle. “We see it as a community campaign. Through our partnerships and sponsorships, which are all local, we are able to bring these events to the public.”

Lytle is the community engagement director of Urban Mission Ministries, which is helping to coordinate this year’s local activities through its Neighborhood Community Development Center.

Activities begin Saturday with the Men’s Breakfast and Health Fair, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mount Carmel Community Baptist Church. It is open to men 20 and older and will, according to Sandra Johnson, provide an opportunity for men to open up with questions and concerns about their health.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Triston Smith, a cardiologist with Trinity Health System. Smith has a way of making men feel comfortable with the topic, Johnson said.

“Each year, he comes in and the men really enjoy having conversations with him — they enjoy laughing and talking with him,” Johnson said. “There’s a fellowship and a chance to talk about their mental health. In this day and age, men don’t talk with each other and they barely talk with their doctors, so that makes it really good. He makes it really comfortable for them.”

Music, drawings and vendors will be part of the event, she said.

Activities will continue April 18 with the Reset Experience: A Black Mental Health Summit at Steubenville High School. Aimed at those between the ages of 25 and 48, the free event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include a health and wellness fair, food, prizes, a DJ, reset sessions and a guest panel. Scheduled to participate in the panel discussion are Renee Thompson, Freddie Jones, Shaloka Reed, C.J. Mitchell, Janese Boston, Leann Taylor and Janise Young.

Cheryl Johnson said there will be a wide range of topics covered.

“They will be able to ask questions of the panel and participate in the breakout groups,” she said.

“It’s very important,” she added. “I think my generation is the generation that is now interested in making some changes. I think we are interested in understanding the way we react and the way we respond. We can come in and say, ‘Hey, we can change that.'”

Free prostate screenings for men will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 28 at the Tony Teramana Cancer Center at Trinity Medical Center West. Registration for men 40 and older is open through April 20 by contacting Marsha Lewis at (740) 264-8207.

“There have been so many lives that have been saved by screening,” explained Sandi Rue, who is helping to coordinate the event.

The annual women’s mammogram screening event will be held April 29 when the Tiffany Breast Care mobile unit stops at the Urban Mission, 311 N. Sixth St. Screenings are available for Ohio residents age 40 and older who are insured or uninsured. The deadline to register — by calling (740) 283-2856 — is Wednesday.

“It’s a collaboration with the Ohio Valley Health Center,” said Dr. Vanessa Palmer, a volunteer provider at the center as well as director of its Diversity Health Initiative. “We will be working to screen women that day and also talking with them about healthy eating. That is part of Minority Health Month. We want to be able to help women understand the connection between eating and staying healthy, as well as practicing cancer prevention methods.”

The health center is also holding a couple of events during the month, including Saturday’s Breast and Booty La Boom. Scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Center for Hope, 702 Main St., Wintersville, the event will focus on women’s health across their lifespans. Joining Palmer as presenters will be Drs. Diann Schmitt and Amy Myers and Tikisha Moore, a registered nurse. Call (740) 283-2856 to register.

On April 21, the health center will host a heart-centered event from noon to 6 p.m. Michael Hauber, nurse manager at the health center, said the first 35 people who register will be able to receive free EKGs and blood pressure cuffs. Call (740) 283-2856 for information.

Helping to spread information about the various events are Jalil Harvey and Erica Johnson.

Harvey said social media is an important tool in spreading the word, while Johnson said keeping the public informed about health-related events is critical.

“I don’t think health was always a priority for minorities,” Johnson said. “I think it stems from history, from back in civil rights times and even before that — just not having access to a lot of different health professionals and health treatments.”

Lytle added that all of the events are open to everyone, with improving lives throughout the community as the goal.

“The main focus is preventative care and connecting our community to health resources and services,” she said.

Partners and sponsors for Minority Health Month include the Ohio Commission on Minority Health; the Tony Teramana Cancer Center and Trinity Health System; Ohio Valley Health Center and the Diversity Health Initiative; the Tiffany Breast Care Center of Mahoning County; Buckeye Health Plan; Mount Carmel Community Baptist Church; Vinson Mortuary LLC; Steubenville High School; NAMI of Greater Wheeling; CareSource; Legacy Lounge; and BossCEvents.