Women turn out for health expo

HILLSIDE— Maria Knizer swung by the ninth annual Women’s Educational Health Conference and Expo for one reason.

“I haven’t had a mammogram in three years,” she said. “I’m supposed to have one every year.”

She did not get the X-ray exam at the event, but was given a few leads to organizations that provide free testing.

Knizer said she can’t afford health insurance as a school bus driver for Glendale Unified School District.

“They offer insurance, but that’s more than my pay,” she said. “I’d need two jobs to pay for insurance.”

About 1,000 women attended the Friday conference at the Castaway Restaurant that featured bone-density exams, free seasonal flu vaccinations, and 16 breakout sessions, which ranged from breast cancer to cervical cancer to lifestyle choices and more.

The recession has seen more men laid off than women, which medical experts say is changing the dynamics of family life and health. Unemployment for men was about 2.5% higher than for women in September, but it was equal across genders, at 4.4%, at the end of 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“There are so many women in the workforce, and we have the mommy thing to do; it creates a lot of stress,” said Teresa Swida, a physician at Glendale Memorial Hospital. “Simplifying life, that’s what it’s about. I think women need to start regaining control of their kitchens and children and use natural wisdom of mothers and grandmothers to prevent chronic diseases.”

State Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge) spoke briefly and presented the message, “knowledge is power.”

“The essence is doing something proactive,” she said. “We’re going to do our best . . . to give you as much information as we can as to what’s going on out there to help you make better decisions.”

The flu vaccination table was a popular destination. Nursing students from Glendale Community College did the injecting and held up a stack of papers a few inches thick, which displayed the hundreds of residents who were vaccinated.

“It’s different from a hospital, and it’s been good practice,” said Michelle Constantino, a fourth-semester nursing student.

A few feet away, professor Danny Ranchez applied lotion to his hands and explained the central role vaccines play in preventive health care.