BY VANESSA C ROLLE,Guardian Staff Reporter
The Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas in conjunction with Colina Financial Group, the Ministry of Health and the Bahamas Conference of Seventh Day Adventists have united to bridge the gap in leading Bahamians to living healthy lifestyles.
With March 2005 designated as Health Month by the Ministry of Health, ZNS has taken the lead in promoting healthy living with the hosting of its 2nd Annual Fun Run/ Walk and 8th Annual Path to Health under the theme: Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be Hopeful!
Colina Financial Group was named as a principal sponsor for the event, which will have various prizes and trophies awarded to the winners in different categories.
A registration fee of $12 will be charged and entry forms can be collected from all of the participating partners.
A Health Screening, which will be facilitated by Dr. Daniel Johnson, will also take place on Thursday March 10 for all employees of the Broadcasting Corporation from 10 :00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. An exhibition will also be mounted by health advocate Marlene McKinney, as well as an exercise segment and blood screening.
Special Projects Manager at The Broadcasting Corporation Jeff Rodgers said that it is important for the corporation to reach out to the public in this way - one which will possibly help to preserve their lives.
"Every medical doctor in this country would agree that there is one thing that you have to do in order to live and that is to get involved in healthy lifestyles. As ZNS, we feel that as the leading media here in the country, it is our duty to get positive information out to our Bahamian people and we want to be the one to set the example by having these kind of programmes at the Corporation. So we just want to be a part of sharing information and educating the Bahamian public," he said.
The BCB's Bridging the Gap initiative will focus on restoring the whole man as it will host a spectacular Gospel Concert at the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino on April 3 beginning at 8:00 p.m. The ZNS choir will be performing as well as some of the nation's top gospel artists including Harmonious Praise, Shaback, Golden Gates Praise Team, Calvary Deliverance Praise Team, Bethel Baptist Church Youth Choir, the Royal Bahamas Police Choir, Bahamas Customs Choir, Zoe's Dance Academy and the dynamic and energetic Singing Prophet - Bishop Lawrence Rolle.
The month of activities will climax with a church service for all staff members at the Bethel Baptist Church on Meeting Street at 11:00 a.m. on April 10 and will be aired live on Channel 13.
Incorporating activities that feed the spirit only balances off the initiative Mr. Rodgers said.
" Your life has to be balanced physically and spiritually. We know the importance of the spiritual part of our lives. Everybody has to fall in line and your life must be balanced. We believe if one takes heed to this information we will have a healthy and a better Bahamas," he said.
Representing Colina Financial Group, Alpheus Finlayson noted that the company seized the opportunity to be the principal sponsor of this health initiative by ZNS to sensitize the Bahamian community about various health issues and to encourage healthy lifestyles.
He advised that Bahamians need to take their health more seriously before it is too late. Using the old adage, prevention is better than cure, Mr. Finlayson expressed that there are some preventative measures that people can take so that they do not become ill.
"I think every organization should have a social conscience because there are things that fall right at our doorstep. Talking about AIDS years ago, you never would have known that AIDS or drugs would have affected so many people over the years. So it is everybody's concern because everybody has some relative, whether near or far, that has been affected by some illness - whether it's canceror diabetes, and the health concern is that these are things that we can probably do something about. Prevention and detection are better than cure," he said.
He also noted that it is important to have regular check ups with a personal doctor.
"Things happen so quickly...within six months...within a year; and nobody knows what's going on in your body. So we have to check, check and check and as you get older, check some more," Mr. Finlayson said.
Pastor Paul Scavella, Director of Health Ministries at the Bahamas Conference of Seventh Day Adventists notes that the health message long promoted by Adventists is finally catching fire throughout the Bahamian public.
"The entire nation and even the world is beginning to recognize the value of healthy lifestyles which is demonstrated by the willingness of corporations and secular entities to partnership with each other and with the church. It means that people are open to that which is vital to their health and are not biased by labels. They are willing to cross traditional boundaries. So we welcome the partnerships and we want to commend ZNS for their willingness to take the lead in this partnering as the premier media house of the country," he said.
He said that the centerpiece of the health screenings will be an introduction to the Eight Natural Doctors - "water, sunshine, fresh air, rest, nutrition, exercise, temperance and trust in God."
A visit to these doctors he said, can increase the life span in men by 11 years and in women by seven years.
"It also increases the quality of life. Obesity is becoming a big problem in all of our societies, which is an indication that people are not following health principles or are ignoring simple health principles. As a result, the cases of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and heart problems are on the rise in our country. This has very serious implications for our health care system financially and socially. Bad implications - the cost of medicine, and the cost to Government of health care is becoming astronomical and a burden. We can help to turn this around by making simple lifestyle choices. Encouraging corporations to urge their employees to join in this Be Healthy Be Happy Fun Run Walk is a step toward better health and a better life," Pastor Scavella said.
