Wake Forest Medical Students Sponsor Free Community Health Fair at Marketplace Mall

January 24, 2003

Students at Wake Forest University School of Medicine will sponsor "Share the Health," a health fair designed to encourage the medically underserved to become active participants in their own health care and to empower them to do so by teaching them about community health resources and strategies for disease prevention.

The fourth annual health fair will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Marketplace Mall, 2101 Peters Creek Parkway. Admission is free.

Health care professionals from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, the community and area organizations will address issues pertaining to child and adult health care as well as offering free health and safety information.

Visitors to the health fair can receive:

  • Free blood pressure checks.
  • Free blood glucose testing.
  • Free child safety seat inspections.
  • Free child identification kits.
  • Free books for every child.
  • Free fun activities for all children, including games and face painting.
  • Free drawings for prizes.

 

The health fair is the climax of a month-long public health campaign that began in January. The "Strive for Five" campaign was funded by a four-year $20,000 "Caring for Community" grant by the Association of American Medical Colleges in conjunction with Pfizer Inc. and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.

Using public service announcements, paid advertisements and news features, the students led a community-wide campaign to encourage underserved minority populations to eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day and get at least 30-minutes of exercise a day, five days a week.

"Share the Health" is sponsored by Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

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Contact: Jim Steele jsteele@wfubmc.edu, Jonnie Rohrer jrohrer@wfubmc.edu, Karen Richardson krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu, or Barbara Hahn bhahn@wfubmc.edu, (336) 716-4587.

Media Relations

Main Number: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587