NATCHEZ — Merit Health Natchez kicked off its week for women Monday with a line out the door at the Natchez Convention Center.

Health professionals were on hand at the Women of Merit Expo to offer advice and information about topics including nutrition, heart disease, poison control and mental health. Professionals also gave blood pressure and depression screenings.

“Looking in the room I see a lot of fellowship,” Merit Health Natchez Chief Nursing Officer Lee Hinson said. “They are all in different stages, some in the beginning stages of life, some looking to start new families, others coping with the empty nest and the rest of us enjoying grandchildren.

“I love to see people mingling and enjoying one another, especially in the climate we are in now.”

Retired CPA Eliza Cate said she received great results from the blood pressure screenings. She said the expo as a whole had been interesting.

“It was very informative,” she said. “I learned about women’s health and what to eat and symptoms for high blood pressure and heart attacks. I had been looking forward to it.”

Cate said one of the best things she got out of the event was AMRs CPR training booth. With six grandchildren, Cate said learning how to do chest compressions might come in handy.

“I did not know anything about it, but when the grandkids are around, I think I needed to know it,” she said. “You never know when one of them might choke on something.”

Natchez Early College Academy student Perlexius Foster, 16, was also learning about chest compressions.

“I’d like to learn more about CPR,” she said. “You never know when you might need it.”

Foster said one booth that was particularly helpful was the information provided on depression.

“When you get depressed, I learned it is important to talk about it every time,” Foster said. “It does not matter if it is small, you should talk about it. It can all build up.”

Billie Magee, having recently died her hair pink in support of breast cancer awareness, brought her daughter, Taelor, 13, to the expo.

Taelor Magee said she enjoyed the expo.

“I just learned how you take care of yourself,” she said. “I will probably stop drinking Cokes.”

Billie Magee, who works at Concordia Bank & Trust, said she would be wearing pink Friday as part of Merit’s Paint Natchez Pink event.

Merit Health Natchez Director of Marketing Kay Ketchings said she is looking forward to 10 a.m. Friday at the courthouse, where Mayor Darryl Grennell will read a proclamation.

“It will be neat to see a sea of pink downtown Friday,” Ketchings said.

Ketchings said more than 55 businesses and organizations accepted the hospital’s offer for Pink T-shirts and more than 1,180 would be printed for the Paint Natchez Pink event.

Other activities include the hospital handing out free pink ribbons Wednesday while supplies last and on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. the hospital will offer a mammography after hours event for women with an order from their physician. Call 601-443-2230 to set up a time slot.

By invitation on Thursday, the hospital will host its ninth Caring Women program. The hospital will honor 56 women and those who nominated them in the categories of leadership, perseverance, mentor, volunteer and defender.

“We used to just do the Caring Women program, but then Kay (Ketchings) had this idea to spread it out all over the week,” Merit Health Natchez CEO Eric Robinson said. “We are really looking forward to the week — it is all new.

“We are really pleased to be able to do this.”

The event will end Saturday at the Susan G. Komen River Runs Pink 5K run/walk.

Area Susan G. Komen foundation Executive Director Catherine Young said locally breast cancer death rates have increased and she hopes the event helps spread some awareness because early detection can go a long way to survival.

Ketchings said the hospital feels the same way.

“If we can impact one person, it would all be worthwhile,” Ketchings said. “Maybe you have been putting off getting a mammogram, but when you see all the pink on Friday, someone will say, ‘OK, here’s my sign. I have to get a mammogram.’”