Women 4 Wellness once again brought healthcare seekers and healthcare providers to the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center at Salish Kootenai College last Thursday.

The annual event fills the gym floor with stations and booths offering free services and information, including bone-density ultrasounds, immunizations, breast exams, chiropractic screenings, mental health information, men’s health, and much more.

Both Providence St. Joseph Medical Center and St. Luke Community Healthcare offered free services, while many SKC and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal departments helped promote Women 4 Wellness’s vision of “improving the health of area women through preventive education, health promotion, free screenings, and tests.”

As part of this vision, Christina Tryon, a teacher in SKC’s Medical Assistant Certificate of Competency program, was helping with the popular skin screening. She kept the line moving, telling patients what the screening would entail, and answering questions.

Part of the medical assistant’s class is learning clinical skills, coding and billing, front desk administration, as well as giving injections, under doctor’s orders, Tryon explained. She completed the class herself and did such a good job she was invited to teach it.

Part of completing the class is being able to perform all the tasks, she said. She’s sat down with students who’ve had problems with procedures, shown them how, and had them practice.

At graduation, one student told Tryon she would have given up without Tryon’s help and support.

Help and support are two words that really describe Women 4 Wellness, and area women turned out in droves to utilize and appreciate the event.

    Women 4 Wellness filled the gym floor at SKC's Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center with healthcare offerings last Thursday. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)