Health and Wellness Expo celebrates the fun side of health

Residents and families stopped by the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Saturday to enjoy fun activities, face paint and free medical consultation at the annual Health & Wellness Expo. More than 50 exhibitors attended the event, which focused on preventative medicine, including the affects of physical activity and nutrition on overall good health. 

"This year’s theme was balancing a life of health and wellness,” says Kyanne Merrill, event director at Lakewood Ranch Community Activities. “The goal is to have the community have local providers exhibit what services they offer. They can meet the companies but also have demonstrations and tests.  There were glucose testing, spinal exams and eye exams. If there were residents out there that were looking for health care providers, they could meet them face to face.”

Merrill says around 1,000 people attended this weekend's expo and while the adults were looking at medical providers inside, children were entertained in front of the medical center by face painting booths, a PNC Bank mobile learning unit where kids could dress up as doctors, and Blake Wallenda on the high wire.