The Akron Area YMCA is encouraging kids to get active with free activities at branches throughout the region on April 27 for its Healthy Kids Day.
The event is part of a national YMCA initiative to improve the health of families. Families don’t need to be members of the YMCA to attend.
According to a recent national survey conducted by the YMCA of parents nationwide, only 19 percent of children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day during the school year.
Here’s a schedule of activities planned:
• Riverfront YMCA, 544 Broad Blvd., Cuyahoga Falls: Healthful snacks, jump rope contest, water safety, basic first aid instruction, parent and child fitness class demonstration, freeze dance, hula hoop contest and a guessing game. (9 to 11 a.m.)
• University Park YMCA, 477 E. Market St., Akron: Sports stations with local athletes and coaches, art projects, kids’ IDs, swimming safety lessons, free swim time, kids’ boot camp, healthful stretching, yoga, Zumba and a performance by Drums Alive. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• Green Family YMCA, 3800 Massillon Road: Interactive activity zones, Zumba, healthful edible crafts, youth sports class demonstrations, bounce house, Usborne Books table, water activities and child ID kits. (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
• Wadsworth YMCA, 623 School Drive: Healthful snacks, family games and family swimming. (10 a.m. to noon)
• Lake Anna YMCA, 500 W. Hopocan Ave., Barberton: Bicycle safety demonstrations with R-D Bike Shop, Kids Fitness Challenge, inflatable bounce house, health and exercise books from the Barberton Children’s Library, healthful snack station with samples from Earth Fare, a healthful lifestyle craft, water safety lessons at 12:30 and 1 p.m., open swimming and appearances by Akron Aeros’ Orbit and University of Akron’s Zippy. (10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
• Firestone Park YMCA, 350 E. Wilbeth Road, Akron: Healthful snacks provided by Cabot Creamery and the Family Enrichment Center, craft tables, sports and wellness demonstrations, an obstacle course, Child Watch activities and information from Summit County Public Health. (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
For more information about the YMCA Healthy Kids Day, visit www.akronymca.org/hkd.
AGMC baby fair
Akron General Medical Center is hosting its free “Before Baby” fair from 1 to 3 p.m. May 5 in the hospital’s main lobby and surgical waiting area.
The event, held every two years, features vendors, tours of the New Life Center, prizes and refreshments.
Informational sessions will be available starting at 1:15 p.m. about skin-to-skin contact with babies and infant choking.
Registration is recommended by calling 330-344-2462 or going online to www.akron general.org/welcomebaby.
Akron General is at 400 Wabash Ave.
Cancer findings
A new study from researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California found African-American women with breast cancer have significantly worse survival rates compared with patients from other race and ethnic backgrounds.
The findings — presented this month at the American Association for Cancer Research — “seem to indicate that although African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed with less treatable subtypes of breast cancer compared with white women, it is not the only reason they have worse breast cancer outcomes,” Candyce Kroenke, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., said in a news release.
African-American women with various subtypes of breast cancer were anywhere from 1.3 times to 2.6 times more likely to die of the disease than white patients, the researchers found.
The study is the latest research to show health-care disparities between races.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/abjcherylpowell.