Art for Health’s Sake On Great Barrier Island

The Great Barrier Island Community Health Trust recently got a funding boost of nearly $600 thanks to Awana Rural Women.

The money was raised at Awana branch’s two health awareness events in September and October – the Man up to Prostate Cancer educational seminar and the Beauty and the Breast art exhibition.

The two events were so successful that Awana Rural Women will be running further events next year.

“We are very lucky to have such a good medical centre on the Island and it is important that it is supported,” said Gendie Somerville-Ryan, President Awana Rural Women. “Rural communities, in particular, can miss out on the public education that happens in bigger centres. We were both delighted and surprised at the level of community interest and support of our health awareness events. Working with the Health Centre to provide expert information and hearing first-hand from those affected by prostate cancer and breast cancer ensured people got a big picture of the warning signs and treatment for both conditions.”

The next Awana Rural Women health-related event will be a talk by Tony Hughes, Scientific Director of the AIDS Foundation, on April 7^th 2015. He will speak on broad issues around HIV and Ebola, as well as other infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance. Keep an eye on the Bulletin for more details.

If you would like to join Awana Rural Women, contact Gendie on 270 or Catherine on 944.