By Peggy O'Farrell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Universal Sisters health initiative marks its third anniversary Saturday with a daylong "Celebrating Heart and Soul" event at Southern Missionary Baptist Church in Avondale.

IF YOU GO

What: Universal Sisters 2003 "Celebrating Heart and Soul" event When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday Where: Southern Missionary Baptist Church, 3556 Reading Road, Avondale Tickets: $20. Call (866) 794-4636

The program, presented by Speaking of Women's Health, is designed to educate women of color on the importance of preventive health care.

"It is critical for women of color to understand and practice holistic self-care," says Debrena Jackson Gandy, author and keynote speaker for this year's event. "Health screenings detect the symptoms. This is why it's so important for women of color to assess their risk factors for heart health, diabetes, obesity, skin health and other conditions."

Gandy, author of All the Joy You Can Stand (Crown Publishing; $12) and Sacred Pampering Principles (Quill; $13), will speak about "Transformational Power of Self-Pampering."

Becky Singleton, an exercise physiologist and founder and CEO of Urban Fitness Connection Inc., producer of exercise videos, will get the audience up and moving.

Minority women are more at risk for diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and lung cancer, and obesity is more prevalent among African-American women. Screening for these conditions aids prevention or early treatment.

This year's program includes blood pressure and cholesterol checks, stroke risk assessments, and body mass index and diabetes checks.

The session will include a panel of experts answering questions on diabetes, arthritis, breast health, nutrition and obesity.

Universal Sisters sponsors eight conferences around the country. The national initiative was created by the National Speaking of Women's Health Foundation, headquartered in Cincinnati.