Speaking of Women's Health celebrated its ninth anniversary with a VIP reception and dinner at the Phoenix, downtown. Founder and CEO Dianne Dunkelman acknowledged the many sponsors contributing to yet another successful forum on women's health topics.

This year's presenting sponsors included Bethesda North Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and Mercy Health Partners. National sponsors included Procter & Gamble, Lifetime Television, Wal-Mart, Guidant, American Greetings, Ensure, Kellogg's and Pfizer.

Guests were treated to cocktails, dinner and a performance by Grammy-winning singer Valerie Simpson.

Simpson is the national spokeswoman for Universal Sisters, a minority health initiative of Speaking of Women's Health. Simpson wowed the audience by performing with her "friend for life," world-renowned poet and author Maya Angelou. The power and emotion created by this duo set the perfect tone for this year's Speaking of Women's Health theme, Passion for Living.

Each year, Speaking of Women's Health provides 5,000 Greater Cincinnati women the opportunity to choose from 25 health-related sessions. Following its kickoff here, the organization will take its message to more than 40 other U.S. cities.