PARKERSBURG - Several hundred people filled the downstairs halls and atrium area of the St. Joseph's Campus of Camden Clark Medical Center on Saturday for the annual May Fair Health Expo 2012.
More than 300 community members took advantage of the free and reduced cost health screenings during the four-hour event, expo officials said.
"During the expo we were able to offer reduced-cost blood screenings and other health tests for free," said event committee member Reinnie Leavitt. "You can't get lab work for $20 or $25 anywhere else and we are pleased people came today."
Article Photos
A massage therapist with Family Fitness Center works on a participant in the annual Camden Clark Medical Center May Fair Health Expo 2012. (Photos by Jolene Craig)
"There were a large number of people waiting when we opened at 8 a.m.," said Tim Brunicardi, marketing specialist with CCMC.
"Most of them had been fasting all night for the lab work and wanted to have their blood drawn so they could have breakfast," Leavitt added with a smile.
Other screenings offered were blood pressure, blood sugar checks and the opportunity to schedule mammograms and pelvic exams for those who qualified through the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.
The expo included more than 30 booths from hospital departments and organizations CCMC works closely with. There were booths set up by hospital departments to discuss cardiac and stroke risks as well as breast and lung cancer and even depression.
Affiliated organizations that participated included the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer organization, the American Cancer Society and, for those interested, Lifeline of Ohio was on hand to discuss the importance of organ donation.
"We did our best to offer a vast array of different things," Leavitt said.
While the event has taken place for years on the Memorial Campus, this is the first year for it with the newly combined hospitals.
"It has been a phenomenal success," Leavitt said. "We are very pleased with the turnout and response from the community."
