IU Health Starke Hospital and Community Services of Starke County are teaming up once again to host an annual health fair. This year’s event will take place Tuesday, May 13 from 2 until 7 p.m. Central at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in downtown Knox. Community Services of Starke County Executive Director Joan Haugh says it grew out of the Governor’s Council on Aging in Indianapolis and the thought that they could share the same type of educational information with more people by teaming up with the hospital and offering a local event. This is the 13th year of the partnership.
Haugh says May is an ideal time for the health fair, as it is Older Americans Month. She adds it’s open to all ages, including children. This year a free children’s coloring area will be set up to keep youngsters occupied while their parents or other caregivers browse the booths and take part in the various screenings. IU Health Community Outreach Coordinator Laura Liskey says they will offer free blood pressure screenings, clinical breast exams, colorectal cancer kits will be available for take-home. We’ll have glucose screenings, oral cancer screenings and osteoporosis screenings. The hospital’s mission is to improve the health of the community and patients they serve. Liskey says early detection of potentially serious health problems is critical.
“When we first did the clinical breast exams, we had approximately 16 women who were identified at risk. After they had their exams, we set them up with Josephine Klicek, who is our director of diagnostic imaging, and she got them in right away. Eleven of them needed further evaluations.”
Free refreshments will also be provided. Several other health-oriented organizations will be represented as well. Call 1-800-235-6204 ext. 2415 for more information.
