The Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center (ORC) and the National Osteoporosis Foundation are teaming with the Omaha Public Library and Robert's Dairy to sponsor community discussions on bone health and the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The often debilitating bone disease strikes one in two American women over the age of 50 - equal to the number affected by breast, uterine and ovarian cancer combined.
Joan Lappe, RN, Ph.D., the Criss/Beirne Professor of Nursing and professor of medicine at Creighton University School of Medicine, will present, "Boning up on osteoporosis and the promotion of bone health across the lifespan," on Saturday, April 13 at Omaha Public Library's Swanson Branch, 9101 W. Dodge Road. Mohsen Zena, M.D., assistant professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Creighton University School of Medicine, will discuss osteoporosis treatment options on Saturday, May 4, at Omaha Public Library's Millard Branch, 13214 Westwood Lane.
Both presentations are free, but registration is required as space is limited. Anyone attending a lecture and meeting eligibility requirements may sign up for a complimentary bone density screening for a later date. To be eligible, a person must be at least 19 years old, have not had a bone density scan at the ORC within the past five years and weigh less than 300 pounds.
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a loss of bone mass and bone strength that leads to fractures in 1.5 million American women annually. A bone density scan is the only valid screening tool to diagnose osteoporosis before a bone fracture occurs. There are, however, several treatment options to manage the disease and even improve bone health.
Creighton University was one of the first universities to establish research facilities for the study of osteoporosis. Today, the University's Osteoporosis Research Center is one of five comprehensive osteoporosis centers in the U.S., staffed by world-renowned experts and providing the best patient care and state-of-the-art evaluation, diagnosis, research and treatment of the disease.
Click here to register for the April 13 event or here to register for the May 4 event.