Interactive self-care event organised to honour National Women's Health Week in Texas

In Madisonville, Texas, a free, interactive self-care event was held to honour National Women's Health Week on 21^st May, 2023. The Summit Hotel hosted the Empowering Her Women's Health Expo, which included free childcare so that parents could unwind and take in the event while their children enjoyed the nutritious food and drinks, health exams, and small makeovers.

Additionally, there were fitness demonstrations, a fashion show, giveaways, lectures on career and professional development, and courses on wardrobe and appearance.

Life coach and event co-host Melissa Kirkpatrick stated, "The first thing we have to recognise is - until we take care of ourselves, we can't take care of other people." "And what we've done strategically with these vendors is to make sure that we start tapping into knowing what it is that maybe we're not doing for ourselves and what we could be doing better."

The event's organisers claim that it covered all aspect of women's health. The event's co-organizer, nutritionist and personal trainer Emily McNamara, said, "Overall health, not only physical wellbeing, but emotional, mental - business in life - so we just had this brainwave eight weeks ago and said, "Let's put this on, and here we are."

And it took the knowledge gained by organising and participating in other women's expos to make all of this happen.

“We just want to make it bigger and better than what we've personally experienced”, Kirkpatrick said. "I've always been a part of activities like this, and I recognise how if I were on the other side of it, how I could make it better and do it differently. So the idea came, I want to do a big event; I want to help the vendors, I want to help those who participate."

Kirkpatrick wanted it to be greater in terms of both the number of suppliers and the range of themes it covered.

we have sixty suppliers, and each of them gives just a little bit of something different, so depending on what you need, you can get it here," McNamara said. "Sometimes, it's just identifying details for what you need. We only wanted to assist in whatever way we could, and we can in every way.

In addition to raising money for the event, the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati benefited from donations made by participants. It means a lot to see the participation that people are providing, said McNamara. "We had almost 600 registrations and the women are finding their empowerment by being a part of this event."

Along with monetary contributions, the event's organisers asked that participants bring high-demand items, such pillows, pants and petrol cards, to contribute to nearby YWCA shelters.