GREENVILLE – The Youth Building at the fairgrounds was the place to Fall Into Wellness on Tuesday for the 45th annual Darke County Health Fair.
About 80 vendors were on hand to offer health screenings and information on everything from blood sugar testing to colon cancer.
Wayne HealthCare’s blood bank supervisor Kelly Sanning said around 550 people had visited the fair Tuesday morning with many more expected by the 4 p.m. close.
Sanning, along with Jordan Francis and Robyn Feithans, Wayne HealthCare’s wellness coordinators, were instrumental in organizing the fair, which provides education on a number of health-related issues.
“A lot of people come in to get educated about their health,” Sanning said, noting some of the popular screenings included being tested for diabetes (blood sugar test), bone density and hearing screenings and medical massage.
With the arrival of flu season, nurses also were on hand to give flu shots.
“There’s a lot of information as far as keeping yourself healthy,” Sanning noted, also explaining how the health fair is open to county employees to get their yearly screenings “all done in one place.”
Again this year, Wayne HealthCare provided a walk-through colon, which offers a visual explanation of what the different stages of colon cancer looks like.
“Colon cancer is preventable. Get screened,” said Jill Brown, Wayne’s cancer care coordinator.
Brown said healthcare professionals are now suggesting the first colon screening take place at age 45.
“It used to be age 50,” she explained. “But we’re starting to see it at a younger age.”
Brown said data was still out as to why younger people are being diagnosed with colon cancer, but it could possibly be today’s food choices that cause issues in some patients.
Information on breast cancer and the hospital’s assistance with mammograms for those without insurance or who are under insured also was available.
Local nursing homes and assisted living facilities were on hand to provide information for those who are looking at options for themselves or aging family members.
