Free health screenings coming to Women 4 Wellness event
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PABLO – It’s time for the annual Women 4 Wellness health fair where women can get free health screenings and information – and men are welcome, too.
The event is on Thursday, May 19, at 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Joe McDonald Event Center on the Salish Kootenai College campus.
The project originally started eight years ago with the help of a grant to provide health screenings, help educate women and men on health issues, and allow them to act as their own health advocates. Although the grant funding has run out, the community has stepped up to keep the event going.
“The success of this program is due to the dedicated staff at the Center for Prevention and Wellness, Salish Kootenai Tribal Health, four Montana hospitals, and many community volunteers,” said co-chair Eleanor Vizcarra.
Eight hundred women attended the event the first year, and the numbers have grown up to 1,300. The program is open to all women and men in Lake County.
“We primarily started to serve women, but we are starting to serve more men,” she said.
There are about 32 different healthcare screens offered this year for free by many healthcare providers. Breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease and thyroid problems are the tests that most often come back positive.
“In the last seven years, we’ve found an average of three cases of early breast cancer,” she said, adding that screenings help people understand the importance of prevention and wellness care.
Getting screenings and finding treatment is also an important tool for reducing disease in the community.
“We continue to have this event to increase awareness of health issues,” she said. “Understanding preventative care helps people and our community.”
Last year, many people wanted to know about methamphetamine treatment programs, so a substance abuse table is going to be added to the room where people can get information for health concerns and treatment.
“We’ll have different exhibitors to help people if they want to know more about substance abuse,” she said.
Other tests that are available include skin exams, hearing, glucose, cholesterol, kidney, cervical and HIV. Two dentists are also on site.
St. Luke Community Healthcare provided a grant this year to shuttle women to the healthcare center for free breast exams if they qualify.
“Look for the pink booth for that,” she said.
Preregistration is recommended but not required by going to http://prevention.skc.edu/w4w/. More information can also be found on Facebook at Women 4 Wellness Health Fair.
