Cumberlands Breaks Ground on Health & Wellness Center
Williamsburg – The health needs of our Appalachian region are at a critical level. In fact, the situation is so dismal that the Governor has set specific goals for improving the health status of the state’s citizens and it begins with education to change their unhealthy behaviors.
At Cumberlands we have a plan to educate our students, faculty, staff and the folks in the community so they will have a brighter tomorrow. Our goal is to provide education to reduce preventable disease and make available various health screenings so that problems can be identified while they can still be treated.
Frankly, for decades many have talked about, but did little to educate the public on, the health risk behaviors that lead to chronic diseases and the leading causes of death and disability.
Those risk behaviors include lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, smoking and excessive alcohol use, and they lead to heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and arthritis.
Quite candidly, our Appalachian area leads the nation in almost every risk behavior. But here at Cumberlands we are committed to improving those behaviors. Our plan is to construct a 15,000 square foot addition to our Campus Center where our students, faculty, staff and the community will receive critical health education, screenings and referrals, and where a host of exercise equipment will be available for use by all.
We will provide multiple classes on various topics such as smoking cessation, proper diet and nutrition, alcohol education as well as work individually with those who prefer a more personalized approach. Already we have two medical doctors on campus, one full-time and one part-time to teach in our physician assistant program, and they will be assisting in providing workshops and seminars in areas of health care.
New isn’t always better and it is both better and less expensive to expand the Campus Center to provide these needed facilities rather than start from scratch. By expanding this facility we will make maximum use of space with minimum cost. Plus the location for this health and wellness addition is ideal because it has adequate parking for visitors from the community.
The work began today and is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete.
Located in Williamsburg, Ky., University of the Cumberlands is an institution of regional distinction, which currently offers four undergraduate degrees more than 40 major fields of study; ten pre-professional programs; ten graduate degrees distributed over eight areas, including two doctorates and seven master’s degrees; certifications in education; and online programs. For more information, visit www.ucumberlands.edu.
