Page 19 - Lions Link 12-18

Dallas Everest holds a Health Fair
Lion Dr. Vishnu Maya Upadhyay, DNP
The Dallas Everest Lions club hosted its 1st Health
Fair on Saturday, October 06, 2018, from 9 am to 4pm. The
Health Fair was held at Northgate church in the city of Irving,
Tx. The purpose of the health fair was to provide free health
screenings for common medical conditions such as
hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, anemia, and
obesity. The main goal of the health fair was to promote
awareness and education on Diabetes Mellitus and to
empower community members with the knowledge and tools
needed to make healthier lifestyle choices. Diabetes
mellitus in the U.S. population is largely undiagnosed and
there is a substantial need for screening. In 2015,
approximately 30.3 million people had some form of
diabetes. Currently, over 7 million U.S. adults have
undiagnosed diabetes. Early detection and proper treatment of diabetes can prevent and delay potential complications. Free community health fairs are one of the essential ways of detecting common medical conditions among the uninsured population. As many as 28.9 million Americans are uninsured. Health fairs such as this one not only provided preliminary screening, but also treatment for diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol in early stages.
Dallas Everest Lions Club’s health fair took three months of planning and preparation. Health care coordinator, Dr. Vishnu Maya Upadhyay DNP, APRN, FNP-C, WHCNP-C utilized professional and community resources to meet the challenges of serving the large community of Irving, Tx. Participating organizations included the Peloton College, Clinical Pathology Laboratory, INC. (CPL), Dr. Ali Jafarian, MD (North Texas Family practice, Mesquite, Tx), nurse practitioner students from Walden, Chamberlain, and South University, a Doctor of Nursing practice student from University of Arkansas, and other walk- in health care professionals.
During the health fair, health care volunteers rendered healthcare under the supervision of their instructors and Dr. Vishnu Maya Upadhyay DNP. Comprehensive blood tests were offered through CPL. In the triage area, nurse practitioner students recorded community member’s health history and acute medical complaints. Following triage, community members were able to consult and receive free consults and medical treatment from board certified professionals. Approximately 100 community members received laboratory services and/or treatment for a variety of medical conditions which included skin, ear, throat, and
urinary tract infections as well as hypertension, diabetes, thyroid, and elevated cholesterol.
Keeping education and awareness as the focus of the health fair, a certified Nurse practitioner presented group demonstrations on the types of diabetes, provided counseling on nutrition guidelines, and distributed diabetes educational material. Two community members received prize giveaways. Question and answer sessions were held to address any individual concerns. Information was also provided on achieving a healthy lifestyle by becoming more physically active and incorporating better nutritional choices into daily living.
A 2-week follow-up visit for lab review was scheduled to address abnormal findings and prescribe appropriate treatments. The Dallas Everest Lions club received an overwhelmingly positive response from the community. The health fair’s overall message was to promote health and wellness. The club was able to reinforce the importance of healthy families by educating and building stronger communities.
(L-R) Lion Kedar Timilsina, Lion Khem Banstola, Dankenya McDavis, Rick Stopfher, volunteer RN, Lion Thala Raj Panta
VOLUME 29 ISSUE 6 / DECEMBER 2018 PAGE 19