News — NEW ORLEANS – Ochsner Health and the Urban League of Louisiana are proud to announce the Big Health Event, a comprehensive and free event that prioritizes health and wellness for the entire family. The Big Health Event will be held at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Saturday, September 17 in Hall “J” from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Big Health Event is the latest strategy being advanced by Ochsner Health, the event’s sponsor, and the Urban League of Louisiana. The goal is to improve health care access, advance health equity and better health outcomes among underserved communities in New Orleans and across Louisiana. The Big Health Event is free and open to the public.
To help create a an ambitious plan to lift Louisiana off the bottom of health rankings, Ochsner is teaming up with dozens of partnering organizations, including the Urban League of Louisiana. Together, partners are enacting plans to reduce child poverty, smoking, obesity, low birth weights, cardiovascular and cancer deaths. Through Healthy State, partners address chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and COPD. Those efforts compliment strategies to improve non-clinical issues that impact public health, including income inequality, food insecurity, workforce development and broadband access. To advance this mission, in the coming months, Ochsner Health and the Urban League of Louisiana will bring The Big Health Event to more communities across the state.
“With the support of partners like the Urban League of Louisiana, Ochsner is committed to changing how we address health and improving our state and region’s rankings as one of the least healthy in the nation,” said Leonardo Seoane, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Ochsner Health. “Healthy State by 2030 is a bold plan, and it will take a tremendous, collaborative effort to achieve our goals. But through public health and education opportunities like The Big Health Event, we can create a better quality of life for our friends, families, and neighbors.”
One of the Urban League of Louisiana’s top priorities is health equity, which ensures that everyone, regardless of race, neighborhood, or financial status, has fair and equal access to health and wellness programs and opportunities. Research and data show that health disparities negatively impact African Americans and other people of color in Louisiana. Along with Ochsner Health, a health system that has made a public commitment to support health equity, the Urban League of Louisiana aims to engage the community around health and wellness and facilitate access to information and health screenings that will allow them to make the best decisions possible for themselves and their families.
“We are proud to present The Big Health Event to the community,” said Judy Reese Morse, President & CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana. “The Urban League fights for health equity because we understand the history of systemic inequities and the impact those inequities have had on African Americans and their ability to access healthcare. We know there is much to be done to address these inequities and to build a future where access and affordability are the norm for everyone. We applaud Ochsner Health for prioritizing health equity through its Healthy State Initiative. We are asking the community to bet on themselves and future generations by prioritizing the health and wellness of their families.”
The need is critical, as Louisiana has consistently placed at or near the bottom of national health rankings. Together, Ochsner Health and the Urban League are committed to moving the needle and advancing a collective mission of building a healthier region for all.
The Big Health Event will include:
- Free Health Screenings Subject to Availability -- Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Diabetes/Glucose, Cognitive Testing, Lung Capacity, Vision, Weight, BMI, and Hip Assessment
- Candid Conversations
- Healthy Culinary Demonstrations by Top New Orleans Chefs
- A Movement Zone with Personal Trainers, Exercise, Yoga and Zumba Classes
- A Children’s Zone with Sports and STEM Activities
- Specialized Pediatrics, Elderly Care, and Women and Men’s Health Information and Resources
- Ochsner Career Café and Supplier Diversity Opportunities
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About Ochsner Health
is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating 80 years in 2022, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and heart transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. Â鶹´«Ã½ & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including over 700 clinical studies. It has more than 36,000 employees and over 4,600 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 47 hospitals and more than 300 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2021, Ochsner Health treated more than 1 million people from every state and 75 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit .
About the Urban League of Louisiana
The mission of the Urban League of Louisiana is to assist African Americans and other communities seeking equity to secure economic self-reliance, parity, and civil rights. For 84 years, we have implemented our mission through programs in the areas of EDUCATION and YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC POLICY and ADVOCACY initiatives. To learn more, visit .
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