Poor health can put you in an early grave, but one funeral home hopes to see you later rather than sooner.

Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre is putting on its first annual Health & Wellness Expo on Sept. 15. The non-profit event will feature three-dozen displays promoting healthier lifestyles and remedies.

"We're going to get somebody's business someday," said Nicole Cameron, funeral and cemetery consultant, "but we're really trying to be proactive and create a healthy environment."

The event will feature presentations from two keynote speakers: Dr. Art Hister, a world-renowned health analyst, and April Lewis, the B.C. representative of Canada's Association for the Fifty-Plus.

The list of vendors includes Canadian Blood Services, Mountainview Wellness Centre and Shoppers Home Health Care. Vendors will cover such ailments as poor eyesight, diabetes, arthritis and hearing loss. There will also be displays representing holistic methods of pain relief and massage therapy.

Gift bags will be available for the first 250 visitors, as well as 30 raffle prizes, free refreshments and a barbecue by donation, with proceeds going to White Rock South Surrey Hospice.

"We have never done anything like this," said Cameron of the inaugural event. "It's kind of like a trial-and-error thing."

Even though the event is still a few weeks away, Cameron is optimistic they'll get the support of about 300 visitors at the expo.

"We hope to have more because we've had such a huge response back from all the different vendors, as well as people phoning in and asking when the event is," she said. "I definitely could see us doing another one next year."

Victory Memorial is located at 14831 28th Ave. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 15.