Health Fair to be held in Bookstore Parking Lot

VALDOSTA - Valdosta State University’s Farber Health Services and the Office of Health Promotions are sponsoring a Health Fair on September 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the VSU Bookstore parking lot.

The awareness event will feature the Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s pink interactive education trailer, which is stopping at more than 150 locations across the country to heighten breast cancer awareness among young women. Members of VSU’s Greek community will help Komen staff pass out breast self-examination guides and assist students in writing memories and pledges of support on an 8-foot graffiti wall.

“We’re overjoyed to be a part of the Komen on the Go tour, and we hope this event plants seeds that will help people now or maybe five or 10 years down the road,” said Rita Collins, Farber Health Services Nurse Manager. “More specifically, we want to help young women understand the importance of healthy habits and early detection so that they are alert for themselves, but also, to encourage them to educate their mothers, aunts and sisters.”

VSU departments, campus organizations and community groups will pass out health promotion information and offer free health screenings. The South Health District Office of the Georgia Department of Human Resources will provide free, confidential HIV-testing with on-sight results in 20 minutes. College of Nursing students will provide free blood pressure checks, Student Recreation Center representatives will gauge body fat with calipers and Health Services staff will pass out testicular self-examination information.

“Testicular cancer is the number one cancer in males of college age, so we wanted to build a health fair that addresses other health issues to coincide with the Komen stop,” Collins said.

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program and the Division of Human Resources and Employee Development will set up health prevention and education stations. The Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Education and VSU peer-education group, Knowledge, Awareness, Respect, Maturity and Achievement (KARMA), will provide information about resources available to students battling with drug and alcohol abuse. Options Now, a community pregnancy support group, will also pass out resources to students, employees and members of the community.

“Komen on the Go selected us, VSU, as a stop on their two-month tour, and it just so happens that they will be here right before October, which is breast cancer awareness month,” said Holly Wright, Health Educator for the Office of Health Promotions. “This will be the grandest health fair VSU has ever hosted, so we want everyone to come out and take part.”