Health Events

All area codes are 850 unless specified.

Sacred Heart Hospital

The following classes will be held at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. To register, call 278-3600 or toll-free (877) 416-1600, unless noted.

 •Baby Basics: To help prepare future parents for the basic handling of their newborn, monthly class will be held at 6 p.m. March 16 in the Family Birth Place education room. Cost is $10. Registration required.

•Stroke Support Group: All stroke survivors, caregivers and family members are invited to attend this free support group at 3 p.m. March 22 in the Suite 3 conference room.

•Baby blues: A discussion group for new moms at 10 a.m. March 24 in the education classroom in the Family Birth Place. Registration required.

•Super Siblings: Class to help children prepare for the upcoming arrival of their new baby brother or sister at 4:30 p.m. March 24 in the Family Birth Place. Registration required.

Stroke Awareness seminar

A seminar on Stroke Awareness and Prevention will be held at 10 a.m. March 24 in the Suite 3 Resource Center conference room at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. To register for the free seminar or to receive more information, call 278-3600.

Blood drive

The Northwest Florida Blood Center will hold a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 22 at Walmart in DeFuniak Springs and from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 31 at Freeport High School.

Quit Smoking NOW

Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, in conjunction with West Florida Area Health Education Center, will be the site for free Quit Smoking NOW classes at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays beginning March 24. This 6-week, evidence-based smoking cessation program offers individualized assessments and customized counseling sessions. Free Nicotine Replacement Therapies are available. Make reservations at

  Other "Quit Smoking Now" classes are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. May 3 at the Walton County Health Department and at noon May 6 at the South Walton County Health Department.

Hospital tours

Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast will offer weekly tours of the hospital at 10:30 a.m. every Friday through March 12. The hour-long tour will begin at the welcome desk in the Main Entrance. Space is limited to 12 people per week. Call 278-3072 to reserve your space today.

The hospital also offers weekly tours of the Family Birth Place on Monday evenings at 6 p.m.