About 700 people show up for area’s first community health fair

At least 700 people lined up to get screened for health indicators ranging from cholesterol and blood pressure to pulmonary function and dental problems at the Community Health Fair held at Danville Community College’s new Foundation Hall on Saturday.

Though the event began at 8 a.m., folks were lined up ready to register at 6:30, said Dr. Bhushan Pandya, a Danville gastroentologist who helped organize the fair. The Danville Pittsylvania Academy of Medicine Alliance, a group of area physicians’ spouses headed by Pandya’s wife, Rashmi, organized the event, which lasted until 3 p.m. It was the first such fair held in Danville that not only increased residents’ health awareness but showcased DCC’s Foundation Hall.

“It is an introduction of this community to the new facility,” Pandya said at the fair Saturday.

Almost a dozen organizations, medical centers and other entities contributed to make the event possible, including DCC, the Virginia Department of Health, Danville Pittsylvania Academy of Medicine, Danville Regional Medical Center, Duke Heart Center, Danville Pittsylvania County Dental Society, local optometrists, American and Danville Cancer societies, Danville Urologic Clinic, PATHS and the Womack Foundation.

The Pandyas have participated in health fairs in Greensboro over the past few years, and the alliance thought holding a similar event here would be a good idea, Pandya said. The screenings took place in separate rooms of the Foundation Hall, where people lined up for flu and H1N1 vaccinations, to get checked for blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, body-mass index, lung function, prostate conditions, leg circulation and dental and eye screenings.

People could also receive nutrition education and physician consultations. All of the screenings were free because of the donations. Doctors’ offices and their staffs donated time and equipment to hold the seven-hour event, which cost about $30,000, not including time volunteered by dentists, eye-care professionals, nurses and other staff, Pandya said.

Dr. Charles Devine, health director of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, said he was pleased attendees could get H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines. About 400 of each were offered at the fair, along with 330 cholesterol and blood glucose tests.

“I’m just glad we’re able to get seasonal flu shots to folks and (H1N1) vaccine out to folks,” Devine said.

Devine hopes people who attended the fair get the incentive to take better care of their health.

“They need to follow up and follow through,” Devine said. “Exercise and diet, those things your mother told you remain important.”

About 700 people pre-registered for the fair, where walk-ins were also accepted. The event enabled people who cannot afford health care the opportunity to discover conditions they didn’t know they had, Pandya said. Hopefully, it will motivate them to follow up and seek treatment in an area where rates for heart problems and cancer are high, he said.

“Health statistics in this region are the worst in the state in terms of cardiovascular health and cancer,” Pandya said.

Area residents who attended the fair took advantage of the multiple screenings available.

Joan W. Brumfield, of Danville, got screened for dental, peripheral (leg) circulation, pulmonary, cardiovascular, blood glucose and body-mass index. Brumfield said she used the event as a sort of second opinion.

“You get to check and see if what he’s (her regular physician) saying is right,” Brumfield said.

“There’s so many people in this area not able to pay to get this,” she added. “I hope to see them continue this.”

Danville resident Delores Chambers said she was screened for blood pressure, cholesterol and pulmonary function, and received a consultation from a physician.

“Since it’s free and open to the public, I was more than happy to participate,” Chambers said.

DCC nursing student and fair volunteer Lynn Knick said she is studying to be a licensed practical nurse because she has a passion to help people.

“Seeing this big turnout … people are concerned about their health, so that’s a good thing,” Knick said.