Providing vital health care information and services to some of the region’s most disadvantaged residents, MDC’s Medical Campus recently hosted its ninth annual Community Health Fair.
More than 1,600 attended the ever-growing Health Fair, which offered free blood pressure screenings, flu shots, glucose and cholesterol tests, mammograms, HIV testing, dental services and vision screenings. In addition, the Health Fair also offered information on nutrition, heart disease, cancer prevention, mental health, diabetes and much more.
The annual event also provides valuable hands-on learning for MDC students studying in various health care fields. They conduct the majority of the screenings under the supervision of trained professionals.
Featuring nearly 50 agencies, the Fair enabled participants also to take advantage of free chair massages, spinal screenings, posture checks and Zumba classes while obtaining important information on prenatal care, asthma, obesity, stress management and healthy aging. Representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and other agencies were also on hand to answer questions and clarify information about the Affordable Care Act.
Thanks to the Fair’s primary sponsor, ConnectFamilias, there was an increased emphasis on children’s wellness this year, and the Children’s Corner was bustling with activities and resources for kids. A return visit from the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures mobile dental van, complemented by the nonprofit group Healthy Matthew, which emphasizes good nutrition and oral health and provides fluoride teeth varnishing for children, led to many smiles on the faces of so many children in need of oral health care.