Community Health Fair This Weekend

Southwest Medical Center has announced their 2013 Community Health Fair will take place from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Seward County Activity Center in Liberal.

This annual event features a series of lab tests, including a comprehensive metabolic profile, lipid profile, thyroid screen and a complete blood count at a cost of $35 per person. For an additional $5, men can add PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing, which is recommended for men age 40 and older to test for signs of prostate cancer. Women may have a CEA (carcinoembryogenic antigen) screen for an additional $5 to test for certain types of cancer. An HGB A1C (glycated hemoglobin) test is also available for $5 to help monitor long-term glucose control. In addition to these tests, clinical breast exams, spirometry testing, pulse oximetry testing and blood pressure measurements will be offered free of charge at other Southwest Medical Center booths.

More than 50 booths focused on health and wellness will also be set up to provide information about their organization, products or services. The Seward County Health Department is returning to the fair this year and will offer influenza vaccines for a $25 charge at their booth. Booths with information on education and employment opportunities will also be in attendance.

Whirlwind Career and Counseling Services will cover the exam costs for the first 100 veterans and offer a free lunch for veterans from noon to 1 p.m. at the Activity Center. Those veterans interested in attending the fair may contact Ed Poley at (620) 482-3431 for more information.

Several businesses, including National Beef, Conestoga Energy, The Community Bank, Black Hills Energy, First National Bank, Southern Pioneer Electric Company, The Midland Group, Southwind Inn and Southwest Medical Center, have contributed to this community event to help SWMC offer these important health screenings at a low cost.

“We are very fortunate to have the support of our local businesses and organizations who also understand that the health of area residents has an important impact on our community,” Southwest Medical Center’s Marketing and Development Director Keeley Moree said. “Taking care of your body is the best investment you can make, and annual testing is just one way you can stay proactive in detecting health issues before they become harmful.”

Admission to the fair is free for the general public. All visitors interested in having the above lab tests done at the health fair should plan to fast for at least eight hours prior to testing. Concessions will be available at the Activity Center.

For more information about attending the 2013 Community Health Fair, please contact Keeley Moree at (620) 629-6335 or Melissa Helsel at (620) 629-6424.