Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 12, 1 December 1996 — Free Health screenings at civic club convention [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Free Health screenings at civic club convention

For the past eight years Hawaiian Civic Club members have received a free bill of health that would normally cost up to $900. The State Department of Health offers health screenings at the annual Civic Club Conferences for free. Different groups volunteered to eheek blood pressure, cholesterol, percentage of body fat, blood sugar Ievels, and more. "We're not going to have any Hawaiians on this island if we don't tell them what to eat." said Kau'i Reyes, a health volunteer from Moloka'i. Reyes and other volunteers promoted eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to maintain a healthy diet. This year's big "attraction" was a prostate eheek. The exams offered at the convention were set up to avoid making people feel uncomfortable like they might be if they were going to the doctor. "What's niee about ours is, it's more personalized, really family-like," said Penny Martin, an

AIDS information resource from Moloka'i. The first year the screening tables were set up in a way that made people wary to participate. But now people ask specifically for the table loeations and what kind of screenings are being offered, says Claire Hughes, the chief of nutrtion branch, Department of Department of Health. Last year breast cancer examinations were offered to educate women on the early signs of breast cancer so they are able to be treated early. Hughes said she hopes to see next years health screening offer mammograms. "It's so expensive to get a (mammogram) eheekup," she said. Hawaiians living in Hawai'i have the highest rate of diabetes, comprising 44 percent of the population. Among other health risks for Hawaiians are hypertension, cancer and AIDS. The information and screenings have made a difference. "I ean see an increase in AIDS awareness," Martin said.

The health screenings draw about 200 people at the civic club convention every year, and eaeh year people are found to need immediate medical attention. Hughes says that's the purpose of these free screenings — to find those who need treatment.

'On CMoc/ub °» ",e HowoiMino out a form k °'u,u receives h?s v efore he 9ning 'reehe«h