Wellness in Fort Bend, TX


 
This year’s WATCH Your Wellness Health Fair is planned for Saturday Feb 28th, 2015. Under the auspices of the Fort Bend Medical Society Alliance, the fair is held annually in Sugarland’s Town Square. The 2015 event is the 10th since its inception, and promises to be the usual array of fun activities for the whole family, as well as giveaways and information on staying healthy.

What’s WATCH About?

In case you haven’t attended any previous fairs, here’s what WATCH stands for:

W – Weight
A – Activity
T – Tobacco
C – Cholesterol
H – Hypertension

The annual fair is a preventive healthcare initiative that is one of the largest annual community health fairs in the county. The event has grown from a grassroots, community project to teach healthy habits to school-age children to the point that it attracts a wide range of healthcare institutions and vendors.

Who’s Who at WATCH

So who are the big names you should be watching out for at WATCH? Here’s a sampling of the associations we’re expecting to see this year, and what they stand for:

American Heart Association

With 600,000 Americans dying of heart disease each year according to the CDC, the need is critical for public education about matters of the heart. Founded originally in 1924 by six cardiologists, the AHA now has more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters. These people work hard to drive the AHA’s mission, which is to help build lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Whether you’re interested in learning more about how to keep your family healthy, how to do CPR in an emergency or understanding the symptoms of heart disease, you’ll find someone to speak with at WATCH this year.

Houston Kids Triathlon

Now in its 4th year, the exciting Houston Texans Kids Triathlon is certain to get your young ‘uns raring to be more active. Scheduled for Sunday April 19 2015, the event is once again expected to be the biggest kids triathlon sanctioned by USA Triathlon in the world. With around 3,000 entrants aged 6 to 15 years, there’ll be thousands of families gathered for the event—all helping to build a generation of active, healthy and responsible children. Bring your kids to WATCH to get the information they need to register now for the triathlon.

American Diabetes Association

Diabetes is another chronic condition that is putting the lives of Americans at risk. Child diabetes is on the rise, meaning the period of time a patient can suffer from the illness is increasing. Type 2 diabetes in particular is a preventable disease, which patients of all ages can avoid by following a healthy diet and exercise program. The ADA has been working with communities for some years now to raise awareness and provide the information necessary to help slow the spread of this disease. If your family members are united by a persistent sweet tooth, the ADA presence and materials might be a good chance to give them a timely wake-up call.

Texas Medical Association

WATCH isn’t just for patients and public, though; the presence of organizations such as the Texas Medical Association shows that medical professionals take the event seriously, too. As one of the largest and oldest state medical societies in the nation, the TMA represents almost 50,000 physicians and students across the state. If there’s anything you want to know about how the medical profession operates, or to get a list of physicians or specialists in your area, the TMA will be on hand to answer your questions during the fair.

Houston Methodist Sugarland Hospital

This hospital has changed the concept of a “community” facility by offering the most advanced medical care in Fort Bend County. Conditions treated include brain surgery, open heart surgery and joint replacement surgery, among others. The institution takes pride in focusing on a compassionate, hands-on care model and providing outstanding service to patients. We don’t know yet what Houston Methodist will be doing at WATCH, but it’s bound to be interesting and informative.

Your Reason to Attend

If the presence of some of the big medical Who’s Who isn’t reason enough for you to attend, then go along just for the activities. Either way, it’s sure to be a fun-filled day for you and your family, and you could learn something of real value to your health. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing so!