ORE than 30 health-related charities, organisations and medical professionals are to join forces on World Health Day next month with the aim of educating Bermuda's families on the benefits of healthy living.

The April 7 event is to be held by the Argus Group in conjunction with the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) and the Department of Health.

It follows on the success of a free public health fair organised by the insurance company last year, which drew more than 1,000 attendees, providing residents with valuable personalised advice through blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar screenings.

"The first event was our premier health fair when over 1,200 people attended," said Cindy Campbell, executive vice-president, group insurance at the Argus Group.

"Argus is very committed to the idea of improving health and wellness in the community and this is one of the ways we're trying to do that. We think it's a great way to give health charities and Government organisations a chance to showcase their expertise and it allows the community to take charge of their own health and wellness through the free screenings on offer."

On hand will be a variety of local medical experts, each prepared to offer advice regarding common health concerns to those who attend. Addressed will be a multitude of issues including addiction, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, mental health, nutrition, cancer and osteoporosis.

Said Mrs. Campbell: "There were people who attended last year who discovered they had high blood pressure, something they would never have realised on their own.

"As a result, they were then able to go to their doctor, to take the next step and seek medical care. So the screenings are being offered largely to help raise awareness."

Similarly, the insurance executive added, there were several people who were "quite shocked" to discover the level of skin damage they had suffered through the years. Many left the fair vowing to use sun protection regularly instead of just when at the beach.

Health Minister Patrice Minors yesterday lent her support to the event, encouraging residents to take advantage of the free services on offer.

"The Argus Health Fair is designed to encourage Bermudians to assume responsibility for their own health choices by educating them about disease prevention, wellness and the health resources available to the public in Bermuda," she said. "We hope that the community takes this opportunity to learn more about how small modifications to their lifestyle can lead to dramatic improvements in a person's overall wellbeing."

BHB chief executive officer Joan Dillas-Wright and the president and chief executive officer of the Argus Group, Gerald Simons, were equally enthusiastic about the rewards the fair will offer to families and residents in general.

"The Argus Group is committed to helping families on the island make healthy decisions," said Mr. Simons. "In March of last year, we launched the island's first insurance-led wellness programme which is offered free of charge to all our health insurance clients.

"We recognised that many of the illnesses affecting Bermudian families are lifestyle-related. By hosting the health fair again this year, we hope to educate families about the benefits of healthy eating, quitting smoking, regular exercise and reducing stress.

"It is our goal that people will use the information they gain at the event to make changes in their routine to reduce the incidence of these preventable illnesses."

Added Mrs. Dillas-Wright: "We are pleased to be a partner in this important event and encourage Bermuda residents to take an active interest and make a serious commitment to their health and the health of their family members in the year ahead."

Asked why there was a need for such an event, Mrs. Campbell was quick to point out the cause of the health issues routinely faced by residents.

"Between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of all insurance claims that we see at Argus are lifestyle-related illnesses," she said. "If people lived healthier, took better care of themselves, those claims wouldn't exist."

As a result, she added, the cost of health insurance was increasingly rising ? a cost which could change if people focused more on healthier living.

"Health insurance is increasing rapidly. If we want to get it under control we have to start living healthier lifestyles. Living a healthy lifestyle is not rocket science. It's about reducing saturated fats, exercising, stopping smoking and reducing stress. The problem is most people don't have the internal fortitude to do that alone. And so what we want is for our companies to change their corporate culture ? to promote wellness. If the work environment, where we spend most of our time each week, encourages wellness, people will have a higher probability of success."

Mrs. Campbell added that the results at Argus had been "phenomenal" since the company introduced its Wellness Programme last year. "The success we've seen was beyond our wildest dreams. It shows how even moderate change affects health. And it's never too late to start. It's even been shown that senior citizens in nursing homes, those who started exercises for geriatrics were found to do better than those who don't exercise at all. It can make a significant impact in one's quality of life."

She said next Friday's fair was expected to be the largest public health event on the island to date, with an anticipated 2,000 people in attendance.

"It was good fun last year. Everyone really enjoyed finding out about themselves and the vast resources that are available to them in the community."