Saltman To Speak At Women’s Forum

SOUTHBURY –– Joyce Saltman, nationally known speaker and humorist, will headline the 12th annual Thank God I’m Female (TGIF) women’s wellness forum hosted by Waterbury Hospital at the Southbury Hilton on Friday, May 2, from 5 to 9 pm.

Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance by calling 203-573-7587. A registration form also is available online at www.waterburyhospital.org. Click on “News & Events” and then on “Calendar.” Seating for the evening is limited and all registrations must be received by April 21.

Dr Saltman will kick off the evening with a light look at midlife entitled, “Take My Uterus, Please.” Dr Saltman is a professor of special education at Southern Connecticut State University and holds graduate degrees in the fields of special education and counseling. Her unique style of teaching has led to the development of a graduate-level course entitled, “The Enhancement of Learning Through Humor.” She lectures nationally on the benefits of laughter and how to use humor to maintain a healthy perspective on life.

TGIF check-in, dinner buffer, and sponsor showcase begin at 4:30 pm and continue until the keynote address at 5:30 pm. The educational part of the evening gets underway at 6:30 pm with the first panel discussion entitled, “Now What? Reinventing Perimenopause and Menopause for a More Enlightened Age.” Featured speakers include endocrinologist Beatriz Olson, MD, and gynecologist Mark Albini, MD, of Lotus: the Educational Center for Healing and Wellness, along with Arthur Landry, MD, a gynecologist with Specialists in Women’s Health Care, PC. They will review the most recent data on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), its implications and what steps women need to take to become aware and informed of their personal risks and benefits of using HRT. Alternatives to HRT also will be discussed. The audience will drive the discussion.

The second half of the evening will feature a panel discussion entitled, “Eating Well for the Second Half of Your Life.” Experts include naturopathic physician Kim Davis, NP, of Lotus, and Kathy Hanlon, RD, chief dietitian at Waterbury Hospital.

Since 1991, TGIF has offered area women an evening of entertainment, learning, and self-empowerment. “We chose to go with one overarching theme this year because of the tremendous controversy now surrounding the use of hormones in midlife,” said Sheila Hogan, director of community relations and marketing at Waterbury Hospital.

“We’re delighted to provide leading experts in the field of endocrinology, gynecology, and nutrition to help women sort out the pros and cons of what ultimately becomes a very individual decision for each of us,” she said. “In addition, women are encouraged to bring their written questions, which will be submitted to the panelists. These questions will drive the discussions and keep the dialogue flowing.”

For more information, call 203-573-7587.