HEALTH BRIEFS: Wellness center to host open house

MUNSTER | The Munster Medical Acupuncture and Wellness Center, 1630 45th Ave., Suite 103, will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Free mini sessions of acupuncture and Reiki will be offered, as well as samples and refreshments.

Reservations are appreciated and can be made by calling (219) 595-3369. 

Hospital welcomes new exec

LAPORTE | Indiana University Health La Porte Hospital recently welcomed Patricia Navarro as executive director of Critical Care Services.

Navarro is responsible for operations and strategic planning for the emergency department, intensive care unit and critical care unit. She assumed her duties in early December.

Diabetes education classes

CROWN POINT | Franciscan St. Anthony Health hospital in Crown Point will offer a series of diabetes classes in February, March and April.

Classes will help provide participants individual meal plans designed to meet specific needs. Program information is in accordance with American Diabetes Association standards.

The sessions will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. No classes are scheduled April 30. They will be in the Burrell classrooms, which are on the hospital’s lower level.

Registration is required. Program fees are covered by most insurance companies, but interested persons should check before signing up. For more information, including fee information and to register, call (219) 757-6268.

IUN hosts blood drive Jan. 28

GARY | The Student Alumni Association and Office of Alumni Relations at Indiana University Northwest are rallying to restock the shelves at area blood banks with an upcoming blood drive.

The American Red Cross blood drive will be from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Moraine Student Center on the north end of the IU Northwest campus in Gary.

To sign up, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation-sponsor, and enter the sponsor code "iun" to schedule an appointment. First-time donors need to create a profile. Returning donors can log in by entering their email address and date of birth as the default password. Or, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (219) 980-6769.

SAA members also will sign up donors from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 23 in the Moraine Student Center. All donors will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Visa gift card.

For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (219) 980-6769.

For information about parking at IU Northwest, including a new practice for issuing temporary visitors’ permits, visit http://www.iun.edu/parking.