MADISON, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- A first of its kind health center for one underrepresented population opens this Saturday in Madison.

The Foundation for Black Women's Wellness is a dream 13 years in the making. Founder Lisa Peyton-Caire says the goal is to give these women a chance to learn new health behaviors, take special classes and undergo important health screenings.

Peyton-Caire lost her mother to heart disease in her 60's.  She says this is sadly in line with the Wisconsin mortality rate for black women.

‘The average death of a black woman in dane county is 60-years-old and that is up from 59 several years ago," Peyton-Caire said.  "That should alarm anyone and it certainly spurred us into action,’ she added.

Her background in preK-16 education and social services has her thrilled to open the facility with classes, health screenings and chances for women to learn new wellness behaviors inside the new West Madison center.

"The transformation stories that take place everyday amongst the women whose lives we touch, how they started and where they are now, not only their physical health, their mental health but their entire life," Peyton-Caire said.  "To see the elevation overtime, that’s what keeps us going and makes the journey so worth it," she added.

Peyton-Caire says the facility is able to do all this through grants and donations, but they are still in need of several wellness kit items like yoga mats and blocks.  

The Foundation for Black Women's Wellness opens February 1 from noon- 3 p.m.  You can learn more about how to support them, here.