When the doors of the GW Cancer Prevention and Wellness Center opened at Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center last October, the block party that marked the occasion drew an enthusiastic crowd eager to learn about cancer screening and healthy living. This May 30, the center is taking things further — expanding the celebration to include every tenant partner in the building and wrapping around all four corners of the block.
The Healthy Summer Block Party, free and open to the public, will run from late morning into the afternoon at Max Robinson Center, located at 1201 Sycamore Drive SE. Organizers say the event in Ward 8 is designed to be equal parts health education and neighborhood celebration — a community gathering where getting a mammogram and joining a line dance on the sidewalk are equally on the agenda.
“We keep talking about a health hub,” said Shayla Scarlett, assistant director of community outreach, engagement and equity at the GW Cancer Center. “This is a great way to showcase us as a true health hub. When you combine all of us together, we really do span the gamut of health services in that community.”
The tenant partners coming together for the event include Breast Care for Washington, Ward 8 Advanced Technical Center (DC-ATC), GW Cancer Prevention and Wellness Center, New Hampshire Medical Supply, and of course: Whitman-Walker Health, Whitman-Walker Health System, and the Institute for Health Research and Policy at Whitman-Walker.
“Community outreach begins one conversation at a time, and the event on May 30 is the first of many opportunities to invite our neighbors into Max Robinson to learn about our expanded services and create their own relationship with this building, ” Dr. Heather Aaron, CEO of the Whitman-Walker Health System said. “It is wonderful to see the collaboration among all of the tenets, and I am so thrilled that Johnson & Johnson provided the funding to advance Whitman-Walker Health System’s vision to see Max Robinson continue to become a hub for innovation and impact that benefits Ward 8 and beyond.”
On the day of the block party, a select number of spots will be available for community members to receive on-site mammograms and ultrasounds, making the event not just educational but actionable.
Cancer screening and early detection will be front and center throughout the day. Organizers plan to host a provider panel aimed at helping residents move past the fear and stigma that often prevent people from seeking screenings. Colorectal cancer screenings, prostate cancer awareness — particularly relevant in Ward 8 — and skin cancer prevention will all be addressed. Many in the African American community incorrectly believe that Black people cannot get skin cancer, and organizers are committed to dispelling that myth.
“Early detection saves lives,” said Scarlett. “We want to let go of the fear and get the necessary screenings that are important.”
Beyond cancer screening, the block party reflects the GW Wellness Center’s broader philosophy of lifestyle medicine — the idea that physical activity, healthy nutrition, restorative sleep, stress management, and social connection are powerful tools for preventing chronic disease. Interactive demonstrations will show families how to make healthy smoothies from ingredients available at any grocery store. A popular sugar-content demonstration, in which organizers physically measure out the sugar in sodas and energy drinks, is expected to return — a visual jolt that tends to stick with children and adults alike.
For young visitors who may wander over out of curiosity, the experience is designed to be engaging and educational. Magnetic boards displaying fruits and vegetables invite kids to reflect on what’s actually on their dinner plates and consider small additions they could make. The approach is deliberate: teach a child about healthy eating, and you reach their entire household.
“Being able to educate a young person about what healthy eating is can actually change a generation,” Scarlett said.
The day will also showcase the wellness programming already quietly underway at Max Robinson Center. The GW Wellness Center currently offers free yoga every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., hip-hop step aerobics on the second Saturday of each month, and self-defense classes. A nutrition series is planned for the near future.
And then there is the fun. Double Dutch, a DJ, line dancing on the sidewalk, and cooking demonstrations all made the last block party a standout — and all are planned to return in some form this May 30. Organizers are still locking in a double dutch instructor and are actively seeking a line dance teacher for future programming. (If you know someone, they want to hear from you.)
Scarlett’s message to Ward 8 residents ahead of the event is straightforward: show up.
“Show up and get the information. Show up and know that we are here to stay in the community,” she said. “People assume it’s a fly-by-night situation — there today, gone tomorrow. We want to be embedded in the community. We want to be a mainstay.”
For free tickets and more information visit Eventbrite.
