Wheeling Jesuit University's annual colloquium series continues with a 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 14 presentation featuring Kathie Brown of Wheeling Health Right, Rhonda Hayes, director of the Wheeling YWCA's Violence Prevention Program, and Bobbi Sykes, coordinator of the Women's Health Center at Wheeling Hospital. The public program takes place in the auditorium of the National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC).

The program will review critical issues of prevention and health care delivery to the marginalized. Discussing women's issues and health issues especially pertinent to the Upper Ohio Valley, the program will offer time for questions and answers from the audience.

Health Right chief executive officer Kathie Brown will go over the women's services provided by her community organization, which moved to a new location recently at 61-29th St., Wheeling. Brown will explain the services offered by Health Right, which is now in its twenty-first year of serving the uninsured and underinsured in Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler Counties in West Virginia and Belmont County, Ohio.

Brown has been with the non-profit since 1992 and has a master's in nursing administration. She will discuss Health Right's constant effort to get women in to receive preventative care, like pap smears and mammograms. Currently serving 17,000 active patients, Health Right filled 164,000 prescriptions last year alone.

The YWCA Family Violence Prevention Program, led by director Rhonda Hayes, serves area families in need. Answering the call with an emergency hotline, this 24-hour, seven day a week service offers information and access to a domestic violence shelter. The toll-free number is 1-800-698-1247, and the crisis hotline offers information about domestic violence or help for people experiencing domestic violence.

Employed with the Family Violence Prevention Program for three years, Hayes is a strong advocate of women's health issues. She will speak on the negative impact that violence has on women's health and the huge impact family violence has on the broader community. Hayes will offer advice and suggest possible community solutions to problems.

With a background in early childhood, elementary education and social work, she has a strong desire to see violence free and healthy families in West Virginia and believes that protecting and educating women is one key to this goal.

As director of Wheeling Hospital's Women's Health Center, Sykes is well acquainted with serving the special needs of women. Opening in May 1998, Wheeling Hospital's Women's Health Center supports and serves the special needs of women. It provides access to women's health services as a convenient entry point into the hospital system, and offers a resource and education center for women and their physicians doing preventive care. Encouraging healthy lifestyles, it offers programs and presentations to the community.

A Bethany native, Sykes has worked in women's health for over 20 years and graduated with a master's in community health promotion from the West Virginia University's School of Medicine.

The March 14 program on women's health is the final program in Wheeling Jesuit University's 2005- 06 colloquium series. The theme of Women's Work was selected by the Wheeling Jesuit University colloquium committee and represents the fifth public speaker series of this sort. Over the years, other programs have centered on topics like Vietnam, Appalachia, John Brown and Wheeling Jesuit 50 year history. Committee members included administrative staff and faculty members: performing arts director Dave Henderson, library director Barbi Lehn, professor Chris Sampson, former vice president of academic & student affairs Julianne Maher, fine arts director Dan Shea, Rev. Brian O'Donnell, S.J. and professor Beverly Whelton.

All presentations are free and open to the public and refreshments will be served. The NTTC building is conveniently located just inside the main entrance to the Wheeling Jesuit University campus, first building on the right. Free public parking is available. For more information, please visit the Wheeling Jesuit University web page at wju.edu.