St. Francis Medical Center (SFMC) is hosting a free Senior and Family Health Fair on Saturday, September 28, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on its campus located at 3630 E. Imperial Highway in Lynwood.
The fair will offer health screenings for children and adults, including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist measurement, vision and dental, as well as adult immunizations. Education booths will feature information on stroke awareness by SFMC’s stroke care team, brain health and dementias by the USC Memory and Aging Center/Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and Rancho Los Amigos/USC, childhood lead poisoning prevention by LA County, children’s mental health by SFMC’s Children’s Counseling Center, newborn wellness by the Welcome Baby program, government-sponsored health benefits and social services by SFMC’s Health Benefits Resource Center, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program, trauma and injury prevention by SFMC’s trauma services team, and more. Love on 4 Paws, the hospital’s pet therapy partner, will give attendees a chance to meet one of its pet therapy pups, and the City of Lynwood and Lynwood Unified School District will update fair-goers on the resources and services they have available to the community.
A family-friendly event, the health fair will offer free food, raffle prizes, give-aways, a kids’ activity corner with face painting and crafts, music, entertainment by local Latin, hip-hop and Aztec dancers, musical groups and free parking.
The health fair’s lead organizer is Gilda Acosta, director of Healthy Community Initiatives at St. Francis Medical Center. She said, “Our health fair promises to be a fun, festive event that encourages healthy living and lifestyle choices. As in years’ past, we are excited to welcome many organizations that are partnering with us to provide services and resources to residents.”
Health fair sponsors include the AltaMed, Ambulnz, Angeles IPA, AppleCare Medical Group, Briarcrest Nursing Center, City of Lynwood, Eisner Health, Healthsmart, Jacaranda Insurance Agency, Inc., JAR Insurance, L.A. Care Health Plan, Lynwood Healthcare Center, OneLegacy, Regal Medical Group, Inc., and Stella Health Insurance Agency, with more planning to sign on as well. According to Acosta, these organizations share a commitment to improving the health and well-being of the community and will have booths at the fair to give attendees information on plans and programs that can connect them to health coverage, care, and preventive services.
Eleanor Ramirez, RN, PHN, BSN, MS, St. Francis Medical Center interim president and CEO, believes that health fairs such as SFMC’s can help people identify underlying health issues they may not be aware they have. She said, “Our fair addresses the conditions that are directly affecting our community, including stroke, heart disease and diabetes. We can be that important first link to the education and services that families need.”
In addition to the growing list of sponsors, elected officials from the hospital’s surrounding cities have been invited to participate. Their collaboration can bring greater visibility to the importance of health awareness and prevention.
Acosta is excited about the energy already being generated by the fair. She said, “We look forward to joining with our local leaders, partner organizations and residents – young and old – to build healthy families and neighborhoods for all of us who call this wonderful community our home.”
For more information, please call Gilda Acosta at (310) 900-7338 or email [email protected].
