PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Temple Health is hosting a healthy street festival to help connect people who don’t normally go to the doctor for regular checkups.
With a quick finger prick, Alexander Cooper was able to determine that his blood sugar was elevated, a sign that he might be developing diabetes.
“It scared me,” Cooper said. “I was surprised.”
Diabetes screenings are among the many free services offered through Temple’s mobile van and will be part of a street festival on Saturday.
“We go out into the community to address these undiagnosed illnesses that people don’t know about because they’re afraid to go to the doctor,” said Tonja Belo, a nurse at the Temple. “So sometimes we have to bring the doctor to the patient.”
Belo said the mobile unit is traveling in North Philadelphia, where people can get personalized testing.
“We’re bringing this to the whole city,” Belo said. “We’ll be offering blood pressure and blood sugar screenings there.”
Providing health services to underserved neighborhoods to reverse high rates of morbidity and premature death.
“We bring the solutions to the people,” said Belo.
The healthy block party takes place at the Temple Women & Families Campus on Wyoming Avenue.
Special bonus: There will be plenty of free gifts at the street festival, including water bottles and gun locks.
“An accident can happen. So if you have a gun in your house, you should secure it with a lock,” Belo said.
In addition to combating the gun violence epidemic, the mobile van will also focus on the high maternal and infant mortality rates in North Philadelphia and encourage pregnant women to seek prenatal care.
“There are inequalities among women of color, and they know no boundaries,” Belo said.
This Temple team is looking to break barriers to get more people the medical care they need. The street festival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, also includes free school supplies and fun activities for children.
Stephanie Steel
