Hundreds attend Women’s Health Fair

ALBANY — For Verna Knowles, Saturday’s Phoebe Health System Women’s Health Fair was about more than the health screenings, the healthy breakfast and lunch, and the inspirational messages delivered by event volunteers and speakers.

It was about Hope and Charity.

Hope and Charity Knowles, 11-year-old twins, came to the health fair with their grandmother Saturday to learn more about managing their health.

“I try to come to this event every year, but I brought my granddaughters this year to let them learn about what they need to do to take care of themselves, to find out about things like breast cancer awareness,” Verna Knowles, a south Florida native who now lives in Albany, said. “That makes this event so important, the fact that these girls can learn what it takes to take care of themselves.”

The Knowleses were among hundreds of participants who came to Phoebe HealthWorks Saturday for the 13th Women’s Health Fair. In the massive gathering of women — and a few men — public volunteers, nursing students and health care professional volunteers conducted blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, served healthy breakfasts and lunches, and handed out information about such health issues as breast cancer.

“I call this event a celebration,” Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Community Benefits Coordinator Darrell Sabbs said. “When it comes to the kind of leadership women provide in their families and in our community, securing women’s health is a premier service. Women are the gatekeepers of family health, they give care and shoulder the burden for their families. But often they’re so busy taking care of everyone else, they do little to take care of themselves.

“If we reach the women of our community, we reach the leaders. This is a special day for very special people.”

Nursing students Tess Parker of Darton State College and Marteshia Tukes of Albany Technical College were among the student volunteers taking part in Saturday’s health screenings.

“This experience means more to our students than you can imagine, this opportunity to interact with patients,” Darton nursing instructor Anita Edenfield said. “There’s a world of difference in the experience level when students have the opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice with real patients.”

Charlene Glower, a member of the Hospital Authority of Dougherty County, said Saturday’s health fair is vital to the community.

“This is such an awesome event,” Glover said. “It’s so encouraging to see these health-conscious women here taking advantage of these screenings. We’ve got everyone from little girls to senior citizens participating, and in a community that has so many health issues, that’s important.”

Bertha Hamilton of Sumner, a breast cancer survivor, said there’s a sense of security in coming to the health fair each year.

“Having been through breast cancer treatment eight years ago, I know how important these screenings are,” Hamilton said. “It’s comforting for me personally, and it’s reassuring to see so many women taking advantage of this opportunity. It’s also a chance to socialize with people who have been through similar experiences.”

Gilda Houston of Albany, who was taking part in her fourth consecutive health fair, said participating offers a “level of confidence.” And, as RN Merle Santos, who took Houston’s blood pressure, noted, “Once you get the screenings out of the way, it turns into a party.”

In addition to the health screenings, meals and information booths at the health fair, participants also took part in a survivor recognition ceremony and heard presentations by Dr. Keisha Callins, Ruthie Garner and Colette Jenkins.

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