AURORA Live Healthy 2017 Health Fair was supposedly a one-day event that drew a number of health care providers and visitors to the Ag Building at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds.

But some people prepared for the Saturday event well in advance by attending one of the three Memorial Health Clinics in January and February to get a low-cost blood draw, according to Tina Hunt, marketing director for Aurora Community Health. Hunt said people then could go to Saturdays health fair to pick up their results, or they could go to Memorial Healths online portal.

Its a big thing for people to pick up their results, Hunt said.

She provided a folder that showed blood draw test results for white and red blood counts.

The folder also provided explanations for what each test might possibly mean. For example, a low amount of red blood cells could indicate anemia.

The blood draw also included explanations for five cholesterol and triglycerides tests, including explanations of what each means and when it might be advisable to consult a physician.

Several tests look at both kidney and liver function.

Its a complete blood panel, but also we do TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), Hunt said. Theres some extra thyroid functioning tests with it. People may want to do the extra A1C, which is for diabetes. And then we also have the PSA (prostate-specific antigen). Its really a complete panel plus.

Both the A1C and PSA tests came with an additional cost.

People could also schedule appointments to get three types of cardiovascular tests performed by the Bryan Health mobile screening unit. That was a popular attraction.

Bryan Health was not the only health-care provider from outside Aurora to be at Saturdays health fair. CHI Health St. Francis had a visually arresting booth that showed the health pink lung of a non-smoker next to a blackened, shriveled lung for a smoker.

The Central District Health Department, based in Grand Island, but covers Hall, Hamilton and Merrick counties, also had a booth in the Ag Building. Senior living and assisted-living centers near Aurora were also at the fair. There were booths for hospice care, message therapists and an organization that sells devices for older people living at home, for use in an emergency such as a fall.

But with Memorial Community Health acting as the host for its own event, it was no surprise they had the most booths.

We have 14 booths, Hunt said, who noted that those booths showed the full range of health care provided by Memorial Community Health, including:

Memorial Community Care, which provides long-term care.

The three Memorial Health Clinics, located in Aurora, Clay Center and Harvard.

East Park Villa, which provides assisted and independent living.

Memorial Community Health, the hospital.

Hunt said the health fair also allows Memorial Community Health to show off its many departments and services such as radiology, diabetes education and pulmonary rehab. She said pulmonary rehab is relatively new, with the pulmonary and respiratory therapist busy working with people who have COPD, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. She said people may be surprised at the broad range of surgeries performed at Memorial Community Health.

The health fair had a booth for its OB/GYN department. However, Hunt noted that Memorial Community Health also has a doula who provides information, as well as emotional and physical support to women before, during and after childbirth.

The health fair also included a couple fitness demonstrations and a yoga demonstration by Mardell Jasnoski.

Jasnoski said some people say they are not limber enough to do yoga but, she added, that is the very reason they should consider it. She said people can increase their flexibility through yoga.

Jasnoski said yoga also works helps people with deep breathing, as well as maintaining balance, which becomes increasingly important as people age.

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People get test results, have more tests done at Live Healthy 2017 Health Fair - Grand Island Independent

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