New Year, New You expo provides health resources at The Mall at UTC

For Sarasota's Dan Sepulveda, pain has been an issue for years.

At 19 years old, he was injured in a motorcycle accident, and now years later at 50, the pain only worsened. On Jan. 10, he attended the "New Year, New You" health expo at The Mall at University Town Center to see what might be available to him.  

As soon as he saw a sign that said "Got pain?" at a booth at the expo (hosted by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities and presented by Lakewood Ranch Medical Center) his interest was piqued. 

It was a booth for Lifewave, a company that sells pain relief patches. Sepulveda tested them out, placing one on his back and one on his shoulder. Within 15 minutes, he said he noticed his pain was eased. 

He said it was hard to believe.

Lifewave was just one of the 60 vendors that set up booths in order to inform and serve the community. 

Lakewood Ranch's Carrie Ehrlich, a nutrition health coach who owns Transform Wellness, attended the expo to connect with other health professionals who hold similar views. She has been impressed by new technologies being used in the health and wellness industry.

Megan Batty, the director of marketing for Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, said the event is a great way for the different departments within the hospital to meet the community. 

"It's a neat event to get in front of all types of different people," Batty said. 

Keith Pandeloglou is the president and CEO of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, the group that organized the event.

"The goal is to start the year off on the right foot and everybody's always in their resolution mode," Pandeloglou said. "What better way to make sure they keep them than with 60 different vendors that will give them something that can help them."