Medical students host free community health fair this week

"Ola Pono" is on January 6 from 12 noon until 3 p.m.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Tina M. Shelton, (808) 692-0897
Director of Communications, Office of Dean of Medicine
Posted: Jan 4, 2012


The John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is gearing up for its annual student-run community health fair from 12 noon to 3 p.m. this Friday, January 6, 2012. The fair is free and open to the public, and is a visible demonstration of the community outreach which is so important to JABSOM's medical students' education.
 
"It's a new year, and this is a great opportunity to get some solid health care information that will help you make good on your resolution to get healthier this year," said Kellie Kitamura, a first-year medical student and one of the Health Fair's 2012 Chairs.
 
The fair, which will be held in the Medical Education Building at JABSOM's Kaka'ako Campus (651 Ilalo Street), will include dozens of booths offering health care information that will, among other things, challenge one's intellect and senses--including sight, touch and hearing. For example, Project Vision Hawaiʻi will take pictures of people's retinas; educators from The Queen's Medical Center will provide information about breast cancer screening including self-exams; and experts from Costco Hearing Aid will answer questions about tackling hearing loss. There also will be food and entertainment at the fair.
 
The theme of this year's fair is "Ola Pono: Live healthy, live right." Several hundred people have visited each of the health fairs over the last few years, which has been gratifying for the medical students. After all, 90% of JABSOM's MD students are Hawaiʻi residents and they are dedicating their futures to working the front lines in health care.
 
"I think every medical student wants to help people do well," said Kitamura, a graduate of Kaiser High School on Oʻahu. "I have a lot of personal experience knowing how much doctors are meaningful to people and what they can do, and I want to give back to my patients when I become a doctor."
 
The Bloodmobile will also be parked in front of JABSOM on January 6, from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Call the Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi at (808) 848-4770 to reserve a time to donate blood.
 
Public parking for the health fair can be found in metered stalls along Ilalo Street, or for $5.00 in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa-operated lot on Ilalo Street.
 
 
 

For more information, visit: http://jabsom.hawaii.edu