SLV Health Fair returns to Monte Vista

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MONTE VISTA— San Luis Valley Health returned for another successful health fair Saturday morning, April 14. About 300 people received potentially life-saving screenings at the fair, assisted by 50 community volunteers, 51 hospital staff volunteers including doctors, laboratory staff, administration and volunteers manning educational booths and four SLV Health ambassador volunteers.

Screenings available include blood chemistry, complete blood cell count, Vitamin D, HgA1c, Prostate Specific Antigen for men, and a colon cancer screening kit. The newest additions to the health fair this year were the blood type testing and mini-doc talks covering topics including “Know your Numbers” by Dr. Mark Shuldberg, “Protect the Skin You’re In,” by Dr. Melissa Voutsalath, “Caring for  a Loved One with Dementia,” by Dr. Mugabe Walker and “Speech Therapy and Your Health,” by Kristin Ferris with SLV Health ProTherapy. Through SLV Health’s online patient portal, screening results were available as early as Sunday, and for patients who completed pre-draws, the results were available at the fair.

For the second year, the vendor booths and some screenings were moved to the cafeteria, with about 30 vendors providing a variety of important information. These included Rio Grande County Coroner Stephen Hunzeker distributing a File of Life for people to have readily accessible medical information in the event of an emergency, Dr. Lois Trenholm with information about chiropractic services; Wal-Mart’s optometry clinic had screenings available; Colorado State Veterans Center at Homelake had information about their facility; the Rio Grande Hospital Monte Vista Medical Clinic Pharmacy had information about the proper use of antibiotics, and Bryan Salazar with Vista Care Pharmacy and Jack’s Market Pharmacy had information about their services, facts about opioids and diabetes tracking.

San Luis Valley Health had several screenings and informational booths, including their nutrition booth which was popular with youth, displaying the sugar amounts found in popular drinks and foods with glass jars of sugar compared with the products. SLV Health also had educational booths for their physical therapy, behavioral health, trauma care cardiopulmonary and audiology services, as well as blood pressure screenings with assistance from Adams State University and Trinidad State Junior College Nursing Program representatives. Other organizations like Monte Vista Neighborhood Watch and the Red Cross were also represented.

The University of Colorado Anschutz School of Public Health also had representatives looking for study participants about drinking water and the effects potential contaminants have on children. Edith Arias and Karina Duarte explained the study is taking place throughout the four corners states but Colorado’s study is specifically focusing on children due to the potential developmental affects contaminants in water could have. For children 3-13 years of age, they will take drinking water samples at the child’s home, either well or municipal water, and take urine samples from the children. The samples will be tested for possible exposure to dangerous metals, plastics, pesticides and other harmful contaminants. Comparing the urine sample and drinking water sample allow them to determine if the source of contaminants is their drinking water or other environmental factors.

The goal of the study is “to generate science-based information that will lead to relevant public health policy to address Healthy People 2020 Environmental Health Objectives to reduce pediatric exposures to common household products and metals including arsenic, cadmium and mercury.”

The study needs about 100 more children from the San Luis Valley to participate. Arias and Duarte can meet participants in their homes or at medical clinics. Families will be provided with the results of their tests in a timely manner and the full results of the study will be published at a later date. The analysis is free to the participants and no personal information or other health information will be collected. Arias can be reached at 719-298-6295 and Duarte can be reached at 720-483-6176 if you are interested in having your children and drinking water included in the study.

Patients who visited at least six booths and completed a survey were entered into a drawing for a gift basket. SLV Health employees who volunteered earned wellness points, part of their program to encourage staff to be healthier and participate in healthy volunteer activities. Earning wellness points, tracked through a VirginPulse program, designed specifically for workplaces through the Virgin group founded by Sir Richard Branson, makes SLV Health staff eligible for prizes and additional bonuses.

“We were very pleased with the turnout this year, and we couldn’t put on such a successful event with the help of our wonderful volunteers and the Monte Vista School District,” said Donna Wehe, director of PR/marketing and communications for SLV Health.


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