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 Four DC Churches are hosting a series of free workshops for DC residents to help them make healthier life choices aimed at preventing cancer.
The series of six weekly Wellness Works Healthy U workshops this fall will kick off with a ceremony Sept. 11, featuring DC Councilman Marian Barry. Offered by the Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts, in conjunction with Allen Chapel AME Church and neighboring Union Temple Baptist Church, the kickoff event is scheduled to have free lunch, childcare, and even transportation for attendees.
The series will continue for six successive weeks with two-hour sessions that will include cooking demonstrations, samples, recipes, simple techniques to reduce stress and enjoyable physical activity. A second series to be held in the spring will be sponsored by two other District churches.
“We feel that churches are the mainstay in the black community it’s where people go for restoration, support, renewal,” said Carol O’Toole, director of navigation programs at the Smith Farm Center, on why the organization sought participation from local churches.
“The pastors are going to be there,” she said. “They’ve been talking from the pulpit about their commitment to wellness and have done a great job letting people know about the event.”
According to the American Cancer Society, African Americans living in Washington DC are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to develop cancer. Although no one knows exactly why that is, lifestyle choices are contributing factors, O’Toole said.
“Poor nutrition and lack of exercise are key contributors to overall cancer risk for African Americans,” she said. “We are excited to offer Wellness Works! with local churches in the community to make healthy habits fun and easy”.
The program is funded with grants from the DC Cancer Consortium; Department of Health, Government of the District of Columbia; and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The workshops are part of Smith Farm’s broader Navigator progam, which offers free counseling and other services for members of the community diagnosed with cancer. Trained volunteers, all of whom are cancer survivors, help patients deal with cancer from diagnosis to remission.
Union Temple Baptist Church, which is co-hosting the series, also serves as a site for the Navigator program. Co-Pastor Mary Wilson, said the health program is an extension of work the church has done for years.
“Our church has long been educating in terms of health concerns and especially the health disparities among the African American population,” she said. “If the community at large has a cold, the black community has pneumonia.”
Wilson said for her, physical health and spiritual health are tied, and both have a mandate from God.
“A long time ago people used to say God isn’t concerned about the body. But God wouldn’t have given us a body if he wasn’t concerned about it,” Wilson said. “Jesus didn’t just talk about ‘wanna go to heaven?’ Jesus said we need to feed people, clothe people, heal the sick. It’s not just spiritual nature, it’s about human nature and enhancing what God has given you.”
All classes run from 10 am to noon.
Space is limited. To register call (202) 889-7296.
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