At NIH, a Show of Health From Dozens of Stages; Comprehensive Day- Long Fair Is Free to Public

After a one-year absence, the National Institutes of Health willput on a massive neighborhood health fair again next weekend.

Sponsored by the NIH Office of Community Liaison, the Share theHealth fair is an opportunity for Washington area residents to seeand experience the work, technology and grounds that make up the NIHcampus at 9000 Rockville Pike in Bethesda. Free to the public, Sharethe Health will feature exhibits from the 27 institutes and centersof NIH.

The event, which includes children's activities, will be from 8:30a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Natcher Conference Center, Building 45,at 45 Center Dr. on the NIH campus.

"We do the best health care here," said Tom Gallagher, director ofthe liaison office. "I would love for people to know that the bestchance for a long, healthy life resides right here in our research."

With 33 scheduled workshops and presentations, Share the Healthwill cover several areas key to healthy living.

Richard Hodes, director of the NIH Center on Aging, will talkabout exercises that work for all ages, and Margaret Richard,exercise guru and host of PBS's "Body Electric," will give exercisedemonstrations. Other presentations include practicing relaxation,understanding herbal medicines, advances in the prevention andtreatment of stroke, racial and ethnic health disparities, painmanagement and sleep disorders.

"This year's agenda is based [largely] on the year 2000 requestsfrom the community," said Jennie Kirby, community relationsspecialist for the liaison office. The health fair, which began in1998, was canceled last year after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The latest medical technology will be on display at the fair, andan Internet resource room will showcase Web sites that featurereliable health information. "The local community wants access toresearchers and scientists," said Kirby, noting that NIH is trying toreach a broad range of people.

Some of the seminars will be presented in Spanish. Carlos A.Zarate, a physician and chief of the Mood Disorders Research Unit atthe National Institute of Mental Health, will give a presentation onthe institute's pilot initiative in Hispanic research. In addition,there will be a seminar on MEDLINEplus, the National Library ofMedicine's Web-based consumer health information source, which hasbeen translated into Spanish.

In making plans for the health fair, NIH made a point not toforget children.

Kids' events include a noon performance by "Kids on the Block," aneducational puppet troupe that helps children understand disabilityissues, and a show featuring a skeletal model with explanations aboutbones. For preteens, there will be a seminar on acne and ways tocombat it.

Although the fair is free, registration is required for theseminars and workshops. NIH officials encourage early registrationbecause some seminars fill up fast. To register and see a list ofevents, go to the Web site http://sharethehealth.od.nih.gov.

Those who plan to attend the health fair are advised to takeMetro's Red Line to the Medical Center station at NIH, part of theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Everyone attending thefair will be required to show identification. Cars and bags will beinspected.