Prisma Health teams up with Akintunde and the Healthy Laughter Comedy Tour

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If laughter really is the best medicine, the Healthy Laughter Comedy Tour could significantly impact the health of the Sumter community this summer.

Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital and the Prisma Health Office of Community Health are collaborating sponsors of the Healthy Laughter event Saturday, July 27, at the Sumter County Civic Center.

The family friendly comedy show seeks to encourage people to be screened for certain health issues to prevent them from advancing to serious conditions and to pay more attention to their health in general.

Healthy Laughter will provide the comedy, and Prisma Health will provide free health screenings and educational materials. People who get a screening from Community Health or from participating health care providers can receive a voucher for free or discounted admission to the comedy show.

Pre-show activities will focus on diabetes and childhood obesity.

"Healthy laughter is ... utilizing laughter to bring awareness to healthy lifestyle choices," Akintunde, the headliner comedian, said. "We will also have a full, healthy talk panel discussion that will feature physicians and other providers from this area sharing information that hopefully will help someone change their lives."

Akintunde is a Dove Award-winning, 23-year comedy veteran with scores of television appearances. He is also a screen and television writer with more than 350 original television episodes of writing credits. He has appeared on T.D. Jakes' MegaFest and Woman Thou Art Loosed conferences and scores of Marriage Ministry events. As a keynote speaker, he typically focuses on how media and entertainment impact our culture and young people.

Tickets to the Healthy Laughter Comedy Tour are $10 for adults, $5 for children 11 and under and can be purchased at HealthyLaughterComedy.com.

To register for one of the free diabetes, prostate cancer, blood pressure, body fat/BMI screenings that will be held leading up to the show, call (803) 774-CARE (2273):

- Saturday, June 22, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sumter County Community Development Corp. / South Sumter Resource Center, 337 Manning Ave.

- Tuesday, June 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Take 5 to Stay Alive

Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, private dining room, 129 N. Washington St.

- Saturday, July 27, 3-5:30 p.m. (show begins at 6 p.m.)

Healthy Laughter Comedy Tour

Sumter County Civic Center, 700 W. Liberty St.