Blog by Mari Tietze, PhD, RN, NI-BC, FHIMSS, FAAN

During the Family Fit Fest on April 27 at Dallas Market Hall, every family member, from children to grandparents, was invited to discover how to get their mind and body right. Attendees learned how to be fit in all aspects of life: nutritionally, physically, mentally, financially, civically, spiritually, and more.

Members of the DFW American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA), North Texas Korean Nurses Association (NTKNA), Tau Beta Sigma Sorority (to include Harmona Epps of the DFW Hospital Council) and health informatics students from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) managed the attendee “experience” survey at the event. Compared to 2023, this dedicate team tripled the number of surveys this year, reflecting a 20 percent survey participation rate!

The DFW Hospital Council (DFWHC) supported the Community Council of Greater Dallas, the poverty fighting network that served as the event’s top sponsor and led by its CEO Sharla Myers, by having Harmona contribute as a planning committee member.

Harmona was responsible for focusing on community members of specific Dallas ZIP codes where a previous disparities report created by the DFWHC Foundation and PCCI indicated the existence of high health inequity levels. She mainly wanted to make these communities aware of the Family Fit Fest opportunity. To boost participation from these areas, flyers about the Family Fit Fest’s health-wellness services were provided by many of the DFWHC hospital systems, along with nearby medical clinics of Red Bird Mall in South Dallas.

DFWHC President/CEO Stephen Love also assisted in supporting the effort by serving as as a “survey data collection volunteer.”