Last Saturday Mendocino Coast Hospital held it’s Annual Health and Wellness Festival.  This year was very special because it also served as special recognition for the local hospital’s commitment to transforming itself into a healing hospital.  Following a musical opening by Harpist, Roberta Belson, I began the Festival by speaking to the nearly 300 people in attendance about why MCDH chose to become a healing hospital.  In my remarks, I said that “healing is nothing new at the hospital.  The Coast Hospital has been healing the people that have honored us by choosing to come here for over 35 years.”  I said that the term “Healing Hospital” refers to a new breed of hospital, that not only serves the traditional role of curing disease and disorders, but who have also adopted a vision of a healthy community and created a healing environment with soothing sounds, colors, healthy food and natural beauty.  As a healing hospital, MCDH embraces integrative medicine with many local healing arts providers.  Following my opening remarks, I was presented with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by Christine Anderson on behalf of Congressman Mike Thompson. 

The next presentation was by Kelly Mather, President of Harmony Healing House.  She gave the room an overview of what MCDH has accomplished.  She then made a presentation  of a glass  “Rainbow Drop.”  The Rainbow Drop was in recognition of MCDH’s transition to a Healing Hospital.  She said that it symbolizes the ripple effect of wellness from impacting individuals and then spreading to the entire community.

I have no doubt that this year’s Health and Wellness Festival was the largest and most successful event sponsored by MCDH for many years.  During the 4 hour event, which included 45 exhibitor tables and 7 free health screening services, there was plenty to see and do.  This year the hospital opened up it’s operating room and offered tours and demonstrations of a simulated knee arthroscopy procedure.  It also offered events for children including a bounce house and horse drawn wagon rides.  However, for many attendees the highlight of this year’s Festival was the 4 featured speakers who spoke to audiences of approximately 20-30 people in size.  The speakers were Ken Rose, an author and educator of Chinese Medicine, Antonio Wuttke, a Master Gardener and Veteran Land Restoration Specialist, Alena Guest, Hynpotherapist, and Ryanne Snow, who spoke on Medicinal Mushrooms.  I am very grateful to our team of volunteers that planned and organized this event.  The event organizer, Roni McDermott, had 75 hospital employee volunteers who worked during the event in addition to members of the Auxiliary, Chaplains and community volunteers. Everyone seemed to have a very good time and went away with a lot of knowledge that they did not have at the beginning of the day.  Perhaps the biggest hit of the day was the introduction of our robot – who still does not have a name.  However that may change soon.  There was a “Name the Robot” suggestion box at the Festival too!