Free Health Screenings At The Stock Show Have Saved Lives
DENVER (CBS4) - Going to the National Western Stock Show for a little bull riding and mutton bustin'? While there visitors can learn their body mass and blood pressure as the Stock Show is offering free screenings, especially for people from rural and underserved areas.
For 8 years now volunteers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have set up a booth for free health screenings. They'll check body mass index and blood glucose, vision and blood pressure.
Tania Montes of Aurora learned she could make a few changes.
"I need to start working out, I need to eat more fruits and vegetables, and just overall take care of my health," Montes said.
For Montes, who has health insurance, it was a friendly reminder. For farmers, ranchers and their families it can actually be their yearly checkup.
"They are the ones that have to drive usually over 100 miles here in Colorado just to be able to get any kind of health care," Dr. Jennifer Hellier with the Anschutz Medical Campus said.
The booth is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hellier says they hope to screen 3,000 people in 16 days.
"Not just Coloradans, but we had someone from Oregon, from Africa, from ages from 2 years old all the way to 86," she said.
The screening is just a snapshot of a person's health. Some may learn they need to see a doctor. The idea is to provide useful information and help the underserved help themselves.
The volunteers have been rewarded over the years. Two years ago they suggested a man see a doctor for more tests. He came back a year later and told them they saved his life.