DIABETES HEALTH FAIR OFFERS FREE SCREENINGS, PREVENTION INFO AND A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE BICYCLE AND MUCH MORE DURING A FUN, FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT
EVENT Diabetes Health Fair
WHEN FRIDAY, May 3rd
3:00 to 5:30 pm
WHERE Downtown Watsonville Plaza (next to the Farmer’s Market)
BACKGROUND
- 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population—have diabetes.
- The national direct and indirect cost of diabetes and its complications exceed $174 billion a year.
- A major key to reducing the incidence of the disease and its complications is early detection and a healthy lifestyle.
- Therefore, the goal of the Diabetes Health Fair is to:
- Provide up to 400 free blood sugar screenings to adults 18 years and over
- Provide prevention education so individuals can make healthy lifestyle choices and prevent or reduce complications of the disease
- Provide referral information so low-income adults know where to get help if they are at risk or have a high blood glucose screening
- Provide an activity section for children hosted by the Watsonville High School-Health Academy
- Provide a chance for participants to take part in a free raffle for a bicycle and other prizes
- Host community health agency booths to promote healthy lifestyle choices, such as, American Diabetes Association, Ascencia/Bayer, Center for Community Advocacy, Center for Farmworker Families, City of Watsonville Parks and Recreation & Neighborhood Services, Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas, Dientes, County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency, Diabetes Health Center, Foot Doctors of Santa Cruz County, Head Start, Jacobs Heart, La Manzana Community Resources, Network for a Healthy California, PVUSD Healthy Start Program, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Salud Para La Gente, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Second Harvest Food Bank, Senior Network Services, Si Se Puede, Twin Lakes Massage School, Vista Center for the Blind, Watsonville Bike Shack, Watsonville Community Hospital, Watsonville Aptos Adult Education, Watsonville High School-Health Academy and WIC.
- Bilingual Spanish speaking nurses and health educators will be present.
- The Regional Diabetes Collaborative (a project of the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust) is a membership organization of over 40 public and private entities from Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties. The Health Fair is its annual community outreach and education event.
- This event has been generously supported by: The Foot Doctors of Santa Cruz County, Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center, Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust, Physicians Medical Group, Regional Diabetes Collaborative, Watsonville High School Health Academy and Watsonville Community Hospital.
CONTACT: Raquel Ramírez Ruiz (831) 763-6445. 