Published: April 09, 2007 11:46 am      

WMHS, YMCA will host health fairs on Saturday

CUMBERLAND - The Western Maryland Health System will host its Community Health Fair Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Braddock Hospital, Seton Drive. Also helping to coordinate the health fair are the Allegany County Health Department and the Riverside YMCA, both of which will have representatives on hand with information about their services. A number of other not-for-profit healthcare providers will also have displays about their services.

The Cumberland YMCA's 16th annual YMCA Healthy Kids Day will follow from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Riverside YMCA, 601 Kelly Road.

Services availabe at the WMHS fair include a free cholesterol screening from 9 to 11 a.m. and a free blood sugar screening from 8 to 11 a.m. Participants also can choose a comprehensive metabolic panel from 8 to 9 a.m. for a fee. Fasting is required for these screenings, which are provided by the WMHS Laboratory.

Other free screenings include those for osteoporosis, hearing, blood pressure, and body composition.

Participants are encouraged to put their current prescriptions in a bag and bring them to the Ask-the-Pharmacist booth. Registered pharmacists from WMHS will answer questions and check for any possible drug interactions among medications currently being taken.

Participants can visit in-formative displays about the many services provided by WMHS and talk directly with physicians, nurses and other health professionals.

A representative from the Maryland Insurance Administration will be in attendance with information about insurance, including the new programs for Medicare recipients. Tours of the Governor's Wellmobile will be available.

Students from Frostburg State University will have healthy activities for children from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the auditorium at Braddock. Youngsters also can enjoy fun activities and learn more about how to stay healthy and safe at Healthy Kids Day, which will be from 2 to 5 p.m. the same day at the Riverside YMCA.

For more information, call the WMHS Wellness Center at (301) 759-9355 or visit www.wmhs.com.

The Healthy Kids Day at the Riverside YMCA will highlight the wide range of activities and youth sports available at the local YMCA, including swimming, climbing wall, skateboard park and kids gym. There also will be a kids' fun race and moon bounce. Information on summer programs will be available.

Representatives from the Cumberland police and fire departments and the Allegany County Health Department also will be available to conduct a vision screening, provide safety information and present a K-9 demonstration.

Convincing kids to get active in their spare time is more important than ever, because nationally, PE classes are practically nonexistent during the average school day. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer than three out of 10 U.S. kids attend physical education classes; and according to the American Heart Association, less than one-quarter of high school students get 20 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity each day.

"With 9 million U.S. children overweight - more than double the percentage in 1980 - increasing the levels of physical activity in the lives of our children is a critical component of this country's effort to fight childhood obesity," said Ken Gladish, national executive director for YMCA of the USA.

YMCAs are helping to lead this fight. Currently, 743 YMCAs nationwide provide physical education for school-aged children on and off school grounds, and 989 Ys offer youth fitness/exercise programs. The Cumberland YMCA offers soccer, flag football and summer camps to help children stay active and to keep TV viewing and the playing of videogames to a minimum.

For more information on the Healthy Kids Day event, please call the YMCA at (301) 777-9622.