TARGET II - Women's Healthcare and Wellness

Alpha Kappa Alpha will continue to raise community awareness of critical health issues impacting African-American women.  The primary focuses will be: breast cancer awareness and prevention, heart health, nutrition and wellness, and care for the caregivers.

Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention will focus specifically on early detection through mammograms to improve the survival rate of women diagnosed with breast cancer.  Alpha Kappa Alpha will own a digital AKA Mobile Breast Cancer Screening Unit that will travel to various locations and provide mammogram screening.  Chapters will partner with local clinics, rural health centers, and hospitals to emphasize the need for African-American women to receive regular mammograms.  

Heart Health remains a focus as the sorority enhances its commitment to healthy hearts through fitness activities and walking.  Chapters will be encouraged to form walking clubs and to invite the community to join the walking initiatives.

Nutrition and Wellness will emphasize healthy lifestyles including prenatal, childhood, adult, and senior nutrition programs.  The focus will be on structured nutrition initiatives, and chapters will partner with local nutritionists and dieticians to design healthy eating plans and safe diets for longer, healthier living.

Care for the Caregivers places emphasis on taking care of those who take care of others.  Chapters will emphasize the need for caregivers to practice preventive healthcare as well as self-care behavior to eliminate the vulnerabilities and risks associated with the stress of caregiving.

Xi Sigma Omega Chapter wore red on February 7, 2020 as part of an Impact Day set by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to help our community focus on heart health.  Are we doing enough to protect our hearts? Heart disease or cardiovascular disease is silent and it is the leading cause of death in the United States.  We can affect a change by eating a heart healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, seafood, poultry without skin and lean meats, while keeping sodium, added sugar and solid fats to a minimum. We can also exercise and drink plenty of water! In our busy lives, make your heart a priority!