Need an excuse to party with your gal pals? Beaufort Memorial Hospital has you covered.

The Fourth Annual Girls’ Night Out, taking place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, offers all the usual accoutrements of a fun evening with friends — wine, games, music and munchies — along with helpful advice on improving your wellness.

[caption id="attachment_13316" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GNO12Crowd1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-13316" alt="Beaufort Memorial’s annual Girls’ Night Out offers women the opportunity to enjoy a great party, while getting important information about their health. Several hundred women attended last year’s event in Beaufort. This year’s event will be Thursday, Oct. 17." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GNO12Crowd1-300x198.jpg" width="300" height="198" /></a> Beaufort Memorial’s annual Girls’ Night Out offers women the opportunity to enjoy a great party, while getting important information about their health. Several hundred women attended last year’s event in Beaufort. This year’s event will be Thursday, Oct. 17.[/caption]

This year’s party theme is “Blueprint for Your Health” with a focus on breast care, digestive health and active lifestyles. Participants who visit all three education stations will have the chance to win prizes, including girlie gifts from Belk, a $50 Visa gift card and a Kate Spade purse.

“Women are so busy taking care of their friends and families, they often neglect their own health needs,” said Emily Harris, who is helping coordinate the event for BMH. “We’re providing them with a blueprint they can use to build their own healthy lifestyle.”

The “blueprint” theme is in keeping with this year’s venue — the unfinished second floor of the new Beaufort Memorial Medical and Administrative Center located across the main hospital campus at 990 Ribaut Road.

“We’ll give the construction setting a feminine touch with plenty of sparkle,” Harris said. “To add to the fun, we’ll be handing out beads and bling for participating in our games.”

Among the annual favorites is the cornhole “Tata Toss.” Participants will be asked to answer true or false to questions related to breast care by throwing a small pink bean bag into one of the two holes marked “myth” or “fact.”

The breast care station also will include breast models that will be used to teach women how to perform monthly breast self-exams. They’ll be invited to feel a “normal” breast and one with a simulated lump so they will know what to look for when they check their own bodies.

At the digestive health station, registered dieticians will use demonstrations to talk about the nutritional

[caption id="attachment_13317" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GNO12Dalbow.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-13317" alt="BMH Dr. Randy Dalbow offers Girls Night Out attendees some advice. All photos by Paul Nurnberg." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GNO12Dalbow-300x196.jpg" width="300" height="196" /></a> BMH Dr. Randy Dalbow offers Girls Night Out attendees some advice. All photos by Paul Nurnberg.[/caption]

differences between juicing and smoothies.

Health experts also will be on hand to answer questions about fad diets, food allergies and digestive conditions like lactose and gluten intolerance.

The third station will feature active lifestyle alternatives. An interactive chart will allow participants to determine what kind of exercises they are most likely to enjoy based on their personality.

Throughout the evening, participants will be able to talk with internal medicine specialists, make appointments for mammograms and sign up for membership to Beaufort Memorial’s LifeFit Wellness Center. Belk of Beaufort will provide free bra fittings.

Girls’ Night Out is free, but you need to register to participate. To sign up, visit www.bmhsc.org and click on the “Girls’ Night Out” banner at the bottom of the home page. If you don’t have Internet access, you can call 843-522-5952.
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