Taking charge of your health is often easier said than done.
Did your New Year’s resolution to take better care of yourself, eat better, get more sleep or start to exercise fall flat? If it did ... it is easy to understand. Life often gets in the way of those commitments we made to get to the gym, focus on healthy cooking or make an appointment for an annual wellness exam. The good news is that the 9Health Fair is this month, and it can help you re-energize your commitment to your health.
Saturday at Escalante Middle School in Durango, the 9Health Fair will celebrate its 37th year. With the support of over 100 medical and non-medical volunteers, it has become a trusted resource and quite a community institution. Participation varies year to year, but it is expected that 1,000 participants will again take advantage of over two dozen free and low-cost health awareness and educational screenings. This local resource is one of 104 health fairs statewide, with eight taking place in Southwest Colorado between March 19 and May 7.
The 9Health Fair began in 1979 as a pilot program through the National Institutes of Health National Health Screening Council for Volunteer Organizations. Colorado was one of 17 states that participated in the original pilot program. The early health fair model was directed at offering basic health screenings using a population health model in support of community health education and early detection of health issues such as hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity and diabetes.
Today, the free health screenings have expanded to include assessing blood pressure, body mass index, memory, stress, oral health, skin, vision, prostate, breast health and more. Many community members who attend the event opt to pay for a $35 blood chemistry analysis that provides baseline information on cholesterol, glucose, thyroid, kidney and heart disease. Other blood tests are available for a small fee and include screenings for vitamin D deficiency and different types of cancer. There will also be an opportunity to ask medical and pharmaceutical questions of trained medical providers.
The 9Health Fair is an all-volunteer event that has benefited locally over the years from the support of the Durango Lions Club, Mercy Regional Medical Center, Southwest Women’s Health Associates, Axis Health System, La Plata County Senior Center, Southwest Colorado Area Health Education Center, CSU Extension, Community Health Advisory Council and numerous individuals who have served on the coordinating committee and as Health Fair volunteers.
The 9Health Fair is not intended to, nor can it replace, regular check-ups with a primary care provider, but it can give you a good start at learning about your current state of health, prevention and wellness activities to improve or maintain your health and the availability of numerous health care resources in our region. 9Health Fair participants are encouraged to share any test results from this event with their PCP for further diagnosis and treatment.
Community health fairs are a great way for each of us to learn more about our own health and give us information and tools we can use to improve our overall wellness. Dust off those New Year’s resolutions and let the 9Health Fair be your support for starting, maintaining or boosting your commitment to your health.
Visit www.9healthfair.org for more information and to register today!
Ellen Stein is director of Development for Axis Health System, a not-for-profit health care organization making a meaningful difference in the health of Southwest Colorado residents by integrating all aspects of health care and treating the whole person. Axis’ La Plata Integrated Healthcare offers La Plata County residents prevention and wellness services, primary, behavioral and oral health care and can be reached by calling 335-2288.
