Hospital’s health fair a great local service
When thinking about positive community services, the Heart Health Fair offered over the weekend by River Park Hospital ranks near the top of the charts.
Since most people are concerned about their health in general, and heart in particular, the health fair was a perfect fit. And considering the health fair was absolutely free, it was a perfect fit for everyone’s budget as well.
The health fair was originally scheduled to last from 7 to 10 a.m. on Saturday. But due to an overwhelming response – around 300 people wanted to participate – River Park extended the fair by one hour.
A number of valuable services were offered including cholesterol screenings and glucose testing. Blood pressure was also checked along with body weight and a fat analysis. There was even a stroke assessment, a skin cancer check, and a test to help determine cardiovascular fitness.
What’s vital to note is a large portion of the 300 people in attendance would have never had such tests performed had they cost top-dollar at a doctor’s office. And there’s a chance some of those people could have been living with a serious condition which had gone unnoticed.
The health fair provided everyone in the community with a chance for a quick, but thorough, health screening in one convenient setting. It’s certainly a worthwhile service.
Statistics indicate heart health is an area in which we need to focus as there are an estimated 105 million Americans who have cholesterol levels over 200 mg/dl, and about 42 million adults have levels of 240 or above. When we read those figures, there is cause for alarm and a definite need to have our cholesterol levels checked regularly.
The Heart Health Fair provided just such an opportunity and we thank River Park for this valuable community service.