Community educated, screened at free health fair
From left: Carol Bell, the Defender’sfinance executive director; Joseph Bazal of the Department of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown VA; Miss Chicago, Imani Josey; Dr. Aaron
Hamb, chief medical officer at Provident Hospital; Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd); Gayle with Secretary of State Jesse White’s office; Jude Valery-Avinger of Jesse Brown VA; and
Defender Executive Editor Lou Ransom prepare Saturday for the start of the first annual Defender health fair. At least 200 community residents attended the event, held at
the Charles Hayes Center on the South Side. The event featured health screenings and forums, aerobic instruction and a bodybuilding demonstration. Defender/Lou Ransom
by Wendell Hutson
DEFENDER STAFF WRITER
Over 200 people attended the
Chicago Defender’s first annual
health fair Saturday, which provided
free health screenings and informa-
tion on such things as diabetes, HIV
and prostate cancer- ailments health
experts said often plagues the Black
community.
Dr. Damon Arnold, director of the
Illinois Department of Public Health,
one of the event’s sponsors, said the
screenings were an important aspect
Defender/Lou Ransom Defender/Lou Ransom
of the fair.
“Lack of access to health care is a
growing problem in Illinois. And Dr. Damon Arnold, head of the state’s Department of Public Health,
Miss Chicago, Imani Josey, participated in the health fair Saturday,
many minorities go years without gets his blood pressure checked Saturday at the health fair.
along with representatives from the Jesse Brown VA.
seeing a doctor even though there are
public health facilities that provide
Medical Center and moderated the “Lifestyle modifications are need- feet.” rather than take her medications my
free care,” he said. “Not knowing
forum on diabetes. ed to improve one’s health condition. Diabetes is when the body has the wife stopped taking them and eventu-
what your HIV status is or if you have
“A big part of diabetes is the foods Too many people eat their biggest inability to break down sugar. One ally died.”
high blood pressure can kill you, so
we eat. How often does a person read meal for dinner and then go to bed a symptom for those with diabetes is Health officials report that prostate
screenings serve as a preventive
the ingredient label on the foods they few hours later. That’s not good frequent urination, even without hav- cancer also plagues the Black com-
measure. Once a person knows their
eat and liquors they drink?” she ques- because while you are sleeping your ing consumed a lot of liquids. munity.
status they can begin to seek medical
tioned the audience. “You'll be sur- body is still up working to digest the Mark Sanders, 49, attended the dia- A forum on the disease was held at
attention to address it.”
prised by what you are putting into foods you ate,” the medical doctor betes forum and said his wife died the health fair.
Several forums were also a part of
your body.” said. “I recommend making your from diabetes eight years ago. Aside from the screenings and
the fair, which was held at the Charles
She explained that fried foods, arti- biggest meal breakfast or lunch “She apparently had diabetes for forums there were also health exer-
Hayes Center, 4859 S. Wabash Ave.
ficial drinks, such as smoothies, are because you have the rest of the day years but we did not find out until cises, such as aerobics, for attendees
Dr. Immire Laguerre practices
filled with sugar ingredients and that to move on around and fully digest late,” he recalled. “By this time it was to participate in, and a bodybuilding
family medicine at Loyola University
is not healthy. your food while you are on your not a whole lot that could be done and demonstration.
16
Chicago Defender • ChicagoDefender.com • December 9-15, 2009
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