Photo Provided Representatives from WVU Medicine stand at the ready last year to provide information at their health expo during the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine. From left are hospital spokeswomen Bonnie Funkhouser and Gretchen Kessler, Dr. Mark Hofbauer, and spokeswoman Thea Gompers. The health expo returns this year.

WHEELING — WVU Medicine isn’t just lending its name to the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine. It’s lending its expertise as well.

The health system will offer a health expo on both Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28, outside WesBanco Arena during the Wellness Weekend.

The event will coincide with the runnings of both the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic that Saturday and the Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan that Sunday.

Jessica Rine, WVU Medicine’s associate vice president for Foundation and Community Relations, said that the health system’s offerings throughout the Wellness Weekend aren’t just for the benefit of the contestants. They’re also there for those contestants’ families and fans, as well as others who visit the downtown Wheeling site.

“The entire Wellness Weekend, of course, is surrounding the races themselves, but it also focuses on taking care of yourself,” Rine said. “There’s so many ways that people just live in pain and they don’t have to do that. We have some amazing trained physical therapists that have been really successful in getting people out of pain.”

WVU Medicine will offer a full slate of services during the weekend, Rine said. It will provide a medical tent to care for any injuries, while physical therapists will provide post-race massages as well as chair massages.

“And then we’ll add some information on our orthopedics, stroke and cardiac care, women’s health,” Rine said. “All of that will be present for folks to absorb as well.”

After running the health expo inside the arena last year, Rine said WVU Medicine will move operations outside to WesBanco Arena’s patios in order to increase the visibility of both the services the health system will provide and the information it wants to offer everyone at the events.

Rine said WVU Medicine wants those not racing that weekend to get an idea of what it provides, so they might be able to join in the fun in 2024.

“There are probably a lot of folks not participating coming to watch because they are supporting folks that are running,” she said, “or maybe they’ve been living with some chronic pain. We have a lot of specialists now in the valley that we have recruited, some amazing doctors who are able to help get people out of pain.

“It’s not normal to live with pain,” Rine continued. “Your body gives you signals. And we’ll have some information there for folks, and maybe we can get them up to speed and they’ll be able to be in the race the following year.”

Perry Nardo, general manager of The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register, thanked WVU Medicine for all the services it provides during the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend, and for how it advocates healthy living for everyone in the Ohio Valley.

“The Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend promotes good health not just with those who participate in the many races during the event, but also with those who come to downtown Wheeling to cheer on their family and friends,” Nardo said. “With WVU Medicine, we have the perfect partner in providing knowledge and expertise to everyone who makes their way to the race site during the weekend.

“A healthier Ohio Valley is a better Ohio Valley,” Nardo added. “And WVU Medicine believes, as we do, that it is extremely important to nurture a healthy mentality.”

Rine said the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend is a wonderful vehicle to get out the word about healthy living.

“Keeping people moving, keeping people healthy and being a part of that is at the heart of what we do,” she said.

To register for all the races available during the weekend, go to ogdenwellenessweekend.com.