sanofi-aventis - World Osteoporosis Day Activities
To support the 2007 World Osteoporosis Day and increase awareness about Osteoporosis, the sanofi-aventis Actonel Team organized an internal corporate event to inform and educate sanofi aventis employees about osteoporosis. 800 employees attended during the event and 450 participated in the formal presentation event.
This event took place in Paris at two different corporate sites on October 22nd and 25th, 2007.
During the morning, a special breakfast rich in calcium supporting healthy bones was offered to the employees: cheese, milkshakes, cheesy bread, fruits (fresh and dried), fresh fruit juices, fruit salad, yoghurts, etc.
Employees were also invited to participate to an informative quiz entitled “Osteoporosis is not only a matter of age”.
Various educational materials were supplied to outline aspects of osteoporosis - educational posters about osteoporosis and fractures were placed in the hall where all employees could access the information, and leaflets were produced.
All participants to the quiz received a “podometer” to sensitize them to the importance of physical activity for the prevention of osteoporosis. Each of the winners of the quiz received an invitation for two persons to attend a Cooking Courses in a well-known Cooking school in Paris, in order to incite them to use healthy Calcium-rich recipes.
An additional booklet containing some nutritional facts, recipes and suggested physical exercises to protect against osteoporosis was also proposed to the participants of the event.
Participants were also able to evaluate their own fracture risk and obtain further information concerning osteoporosis from a medical information booth, where there were:
- A touch-screen displaying the IOF Fracture Risk Test to facilitate to the participants the evaluation of their own fracture risk
- A height gauge allowing participants to see if they have a loss of height characterizing their osteoporosis risk.
- The Actonel medical team to give advice and additional information to the employees.
During lunch, employees were able to attend a forum where Dr. Pierre Khalifa, an internal medicine specialist from Paris, explained the medical aspect of osteoporosis and its long term implications. This was followed by a presentation of the documentary film “Les femmes cassées” (Broken Women). The film itself was introduced by the director and famous French actress Mireille Darc. Through interviews with four osteoporotic women, Mireille Darc’s film shows the emotional aspect of osteoporosis, the condition’s impact on everyday’s life, and the difficulties faced by women with osteoporosis.
At the corporate cafeteria, a special osteoporosis menu “Recipes for a better bone health” (rich in calcium and vitamin D) was prepared and presented at the entrance to the cafeteria for everyone’s education on a bone healthy diet.
On the menu:
- Mozzarella and tomatoes
- Salmon à la plancha with mango and pineapple dressing
- Spinach tortellini with gorgonzola dressing
- Orange and grapefruit salad
For each dish, the quantity of calcium was indicated and people could also evaluate their calcium daily intake.
It was satisfying to see that many women from a certain age category (45 +) were sensitized to the issues surrounding osteoporosis and felt concerned and motivated to consult their doctor.
As a conclusion, this event was a great success as the Actonel team organizers received many positive feedbacks showing that the key message of awareness was well-conveyed.
