Health Briefs (Updated March 21)

Taste of Ahwatukee

Curves Ahwatukee will host its first "Taste of Ahwatukee" event on March 27, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Help feed the hungry and let Curves feed you. Donate a brown bag of food to St. Mary's Food Bank and receive two free tickets for an evening of wine, music, door prizes and food samples provided by local area restaurants and providers.

Additionally, join Curves Ahwatukee on or before March 27 and enjoy a $30 service fee with food donation. 

Matt Leinart Foundation fundraiser

Dolce Luna will host a fundraiser for the Matt Leinart Foundation from 11 to 3 p.m. March 29. A raffle and auction will offer a cruise, beach cruiser bike, autographed footballs and more.

Dolce Luna is located at 4647 E. Chandler Blvd.

For more information, call (480) 753-0007.

Crohn's and Colitis support group

The East Valley Crohn's and Colitis Support Group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Thursday of the month at the Desert Samaritan Medical Center, classroom 3D, on the third floor of the hospital.

Desert Samaritan is located at 1400 S. Dobson Road.

For more information, contact Lisa Shane at Lissha480@aol.com or visit www.ccfa.org/chapters/southwest.

This is it

A weekly workshop based on Eckhart Tolle's book A New Earth will be held Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at 3920 S. Rural Road, Suite 110, in conjunction with Oprah's 10-week Internet series about the book and spiritual awakening.

For more information, or to register, e-mail jrwnow@gmail.com.

Winter Academy comes West

The University of Pittsburg is bringing its Winter Academy to the West Coast at noon March 15 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix.

Winter Academy West offers alumni and friends a unique opportunity to discover first-hand why the University of Pittsburg is a world leader in the science that will shape tomorrow's health care. Participants will meet some of the university's top researchers and learn how they are tackling today's most pressing health issues.

For more information, contact Patricia Carver at (412) 647-5307 or cpat@pitt.edu, or visit www.winteracademy.pitt.edu.

Lifesaving 101: Water Safety Day 2008

The ninth annual Water Safety Day, organized by Water Watchers of Phoenix Children's Hospital, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 25 at South Mountain Community College, 7050 S. 24th St.

More than 1,200 first-grade students from across the Valley will attend, as part of a seven-week water safety learning process.

This one-of-a-kind celebration of water safety will provide a number of strong visuals, including water safety shows, special build-a-reminder workshops, a singing firefighter show, a magic and puppet show, a Kid Zone carnival area and a display of fire trucks, helicopters and ambulances.

For more information, contact Tiffaney Isaacson at (480) 292-8774.

Ahwatukee Jazzercise

Get into shape this year with new Jazzercise Lite classes offered by Ahwatukee Foothills resident Cindy Schulze.

Classes are Monday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at Mountain Park Community Church and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9:30 a.m. at Center Pointe Dance.

Mountain Park Community Church is located at 2408 E. Pecos Road. Center Pointe Dance is located at 12020 S. Warner-Elliot Loop, Suite 110.

For more information, contact Schulze at (602) 292-7521 or jazzisfun@cox.net.

CHW appointments for mammography services

Catholic Healthcare West's hospitals and urgent care centers is offering same- and next-day appointments for mammography services at four East Valley locations.

According to Apodaca, CHW's breast biopsy program employs minimally invasive techniques for stereotactic and ultrasound-guided biopsies, which are performed by a team of highly trained, board-certified radiologists. Both techniques are useful when there are suspicious changes on the mammogram that can also be seen on an ultrasound exam but no abnormality can be felt on breast self-examination or clinical examination by a physician.

For same or next-day appointment information, or to learn more about the facility's hours of operation, please call (480) 728-3900.

Lymphoma Research Foundation monthly meeting

The Arizona Chapter of the Lymphoma Research Foundation hosts free monthly meetings for lymphoma patients, their loved ones, health care professionals or anyone interested in supporting lymphoma awareness and education.

For additional information, e-mail Arizona@lymphoma.org or call Susan at (623) 266-4742.

MS Bike Tour

The National MS Society will be hosting its 22nd annual Bike MS March 29 and 30 in Florence. The bike MS: Round Up Ride raises more than $650,000 annually to support local programs and research for more than 8,000 Arizonans living with the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. The ride will include a figure-eight route that travels through Florence, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Sacaton and Queen Creek. The ride will begin at Heritage Park in Florence and cyclists can choose from four available mileage options: a 35-mile route, a 75-mile route, a one-day 100-mile route or the two-day 150-mile route. To help cyclists prepare for the event, the Arizona Chapter will be hosting weekly training rides in various cities.

To learn more or to register, visit http://bikeaza.nationalMSsociety.org or call 1 (800) 344-4867.

Raising an Exceptional Child workshop

The Child Obesity Center of Arizona presents a Raising an Exceptional Child workshop series for parents with an overweight child beginning April 5 in two locations. Curriculum for the workshop is accredited through the Pediatric Weight Management Program, the nations leading weight management program for children and teens.

The six-week workshop is packed with new information and strategies on how to raise a healthy child and will teach parents how to deal with feelings of guilt, fear and frustration about their child's weight.

Locations are: 13231 N. 35th Ave., Suite A10, in Phoenix, from 9 a.m. to noon; and 835 W. Warner Road in Chandler, from 2 to 5 p.m.

To register, call (602) 843-8333 or e-mail register@ChildObesityCenter.com.

Free registration with referral from doctor, $100 with no referral. Fee includes workbook, workshop materials and 18-hour workshop session.

Myeloma program

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will hold a two-hour patient program on Myeloma at 10 a.m. April 10 at The Governor Benjamin B. Moeur Residence, Hatton Hall, 34 E. 7th St., in Tempe. Pre-registration for the free program is required. Complimentary lunch will be served. Parking is free in underground public garage adjacent to Hatton Hall.

For more information, or to register, contact Victor Carrasco, patient services manager, at (602) 788-8622 ext. 13.

YMCA 5K

The Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA 5K run, walk and kids run is April 12 at 8 a.m. There will be a cash prize for the top three men and women. 

Registration is $25 for adults and $12 for kids before April 5 and is available at www.active.com or at the YMCA.

For more information, contact David Allison at (480) 326-1495.

Pat's Run

The fourth annual Pat's Run presented by SRP will be held at 7 a.m. April 19 at Sun Devil Stadium to celebrate the life of scholar-athlete Pat Tillman. The 4.2-mile run/walk will finish on the 42-yardline of Sun Devil Stadium, where Tillman wore jersey No. 42 as an Arizona State Sun Devil.

Participants can register online at www.patsrun.com until April 15 or at the Sun Devil Stadium North End from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 16 to 18. Registration will also be available on race day morning at Packard Drive and Rio Salado Drive.

For more information, visit www.patsrun.com or call (480) 338-0911.

Walk Like MADD 5K

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will host Walk Like MADD 5K, with the call to action, "Let's Eliminate Drunk Driving," as its signature fundraiser walk at 7:40 a.m. April 26 at the Phoenix Zoo. The walk, held each year in more than 30 cities nationwide, was formerly called Strides for Change.

Activities include face painting, arts and crafts, tours of police vehicles, music, ignition interlock demonstrations and more.

Those interested in participating, or becoming a virtual walker can visit www.walklikemadd.org.

Blood cancer seminar

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will host a parent progress seminar, The Path to Progress: Clinical Trials in Blood Cancer, April 27 at 2 p.m. at the East Valley Regional Cancer Center, Chandler Regional Hospital, 1875 W. Frye Road.

Topics covered include: how new drugs are discovered, researched and approved for treatment, distinguishing fact from fiction when it comes to clinical trials, how to talk to your doctor about clinical trials as a possible treatment option, recent and ongoing advances in the treatment of blood cancers and how to locate clinical trials that may be right for you.

Pre-registration required. For more information, or to register, contact Victor Carrasco, Patient Services Manager, at (602) 788-8622, ext. 13.

Y-ME Walk to Empower

At 7:30 a.m. on Mother's Day, May 11, more than 1,600 walkers and volunteers will gather in Tempe Beach Park for Y-ME's Second Annual Walk to Empower, a three-mile non-competitive walk.

The event promises to inspire and empower all who attend, providing the perfect way to honor the survivors, commemorate personal diagnosis and remember those who are no longer with us. Walkers can raise funds in support of Y-ME's free-of-charge programs and services that are offered to all those touched by breast cancer.

Register today at www.y-me.org to walk or volunteer at the Walk to Empower. For more information, call (877) YME-7223, ext. 2730.