Longmont United Hospital (LUH), in partnership with Common Spirit Health, will host a Women’s Day event on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2030 Mountain View Avenue. The event aims to celebrate women’s health and foster community connections, offering a variety of activities such as educational lectures, a craft fair, and opportunities to meet local healthcare providers.
The event will feature free educational lectures on key topics, including the onset of menstruation, obstetrics, general gynecology, and menopause. Each lecture will be presented twice, providing attendees with multiple chances to participate. Dr. Lydia Hostetler, one of the event’s presenters, explained why these topics are so important. “Any one of these topics can affect women’s lives, depending on their stage,” she said. “Even if they aren’t at any of those stages, they might want an overview of anything that might occur for them.” Dr. Hostetler also noted that while most women are familiar with well-woman exams, “there are still women who don’t know that we’re actually screening for cervical cancer,” making the event a crucial opportunity for education.
Jean Jimenez, office supervisor and representative from the organizing women’s group, said that the inspiration behind the event is to do something nice for the community. “Statistically, 85 percent of medical decisions are made by women, according to the Department of Labor and Statistics,” she said. “This event is an opportunity to give women a chance to network with each other, something that may be lacking a little bit, especially since women are often busy working and raising families.”
In addition to the educational sessions, the event will raise awareness of the LUH Birthplace and showcase services available to women through local organizations. “We’re trying to give them a full scope of what to expect,” Dr. Hostetler said. “We want to touch on things that may be happening in their life, whether they’re pregnant or not.”
While the event’s primary focus is education, Dr. Hostetler believes it’s also important to create an enjoyable experience for the community. “We want to promote health in the community but also do something fun that brings people together,” she said.
Attendees will also have the chance to explore local health-related resources, meet healthcare providers, and enjoy live music, crafts, and giveaways. “We’re having crafting, and it will give women a chance to meet with our providers, ask questions, and participate in a meet-and-greet,” Jimenez said. Raffle prizes and donations from local businesses will add another interactive element to the day.
Dr. Hostetler said that the event’s role is also to raise awareness of the clinic’s presence in the community. “We’re a newer clinic to Longmont United Hospital... and we want people to know that we’re here, we’re not going anywhere, we’re part of this community,” she said. She stressed the clinic’s focus on preventative care and said that “we really do like to focus on a lot of education and make sure that what women are doing now will impact their health long-term.”
Despite being in its first year, the event has already exceeded expectations in terms of participation, according to Dr. Hostetler. “It’s great if they just come for the fun stuff outside,” she said, and said that she’s hoping to see hundreds of attendees.
Parking will be available on the west side of the hospital, with access through the United Medical Building entrance. For more information, contact Women’s Health-Longmont at (720) 652-8730.
