Health fair offers distracted driving test

The distracted driver simulator exhibit will be run by David Stone, director of Emergency Services at MCMC.

“It’s mainly about texting while driving,” Stone said, “but it can be a lot of other things, talking on the phone or eating while driving. Texting while driving has become a huge issue the last two years. A lot of people are dying because of texting while driving. We’re trying to make it a public safety awareness kind of thing.”

Distraction is anything — eyes, mind, hands or hearing — that diverts the driver’s attention from the primary tasks of navigating the vehicle and responding to critical events,

From 2008 to 2012, 65 people died in Oregon in crashes involving any kind of distracted driver, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Sending or receiving a text may seem as if it doesn’t take long, but it takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds.

At 55 miles per hour, this is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field blindfolded.

The simulator will be in use throughout the day.

Dr. Keith Stelzer, of the Celilo Center, and Dr. Melinda Cushing, of Columbia Crest Dermatology, will both offer information about cancer.

Stelzer speaks in the Deschutes Room at 10:45 a.m. about cancer in the gorge and how we rate.

“I’ll be giving a general overview of the most common cancers nationally and in our region, with a focus on risk factors and survival trends,” Stelzer said.

“My most important message is that the dominant risk factors for cancer relate to our own behaviors and, as such, we have significant control over our chance of developing cancer.”

Stelzer said the most significant things we can do to reduce cancer risk are limit sun exposure, don’t smoke, eat healthfully and exercise.

Cushing will have an all-day exhibit where she will provide screenings and delve deeper into the subject of skin cancer, one of the Mid-Columbia’s most pervasive cancers.

The Choosy Kids program, for example, is designed to help teach kids to make healthy choices around activity and nutrition. A hand-washing station will also be set up where kids can learn the best way to wash their hands and guard against cold and flu season.

“A kids health center is also going to be going on with tons of great exhibits and interactive things, like sensory development through play and ask a nurse,” said Linda Stahl of Planetree Health Resources Center.

Oregon Health and Science University is also going to be on hand to answer any questions people may have about the university’s partnership with MCMC.

“It’s a good opportunity to come out and meet some folks from OHSU,” Stahl said, “get answers to any questions about what this collaboration means for MCMC and our community.”

The Bistro at Water’s Edge is planning a recipe makeover to make cooking healthier. That demonstration takes place at noon with a station in the Deschutes Room.

People can submit recipes on the MCMC Facebook page.

“What our nutrition experts are going to do is pick three recipes and do recipe makeovers. The three recipes chosen will have a chance to win a prize.

People who register for the health fair online have a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy tablet.

People who come to the health fair and complete a Partners in Health passport will be entered in a drawing to win a $250 gift certificate to Water’s Edge.

A variety of other activities are planned for the day, including a 10:15 a.m. yoga class, chair massage and skin care analysis.