The Pan-Hellenic council sponsored a health fair Thursday, Oct. 19 on the second floor of the Memorial Student Center. Organizations and businesses attending included the Department of State Health Services, Fitness Plus, the Health and Counseling Department located in the Owens-Franklin Health Center.
Services offered ranged from influenza immunizations, HIV/AIDS testing and free birth control to information about stress, high blood pressure, diabetes and free day passes to a fitness center.
Genevieve Ayers, a senior dietetics major and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., served as chair of the event. Ayers encouraged all students to attend the health fair “to open their eyes to the realities of what’s going on in today’s world as far as STDs and to know how important it is to stay healthy while you’re young.” Statistics show that diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States affecting 18.2 million people. African-Americans comprise 9.7 percent of the diabetic population in Texas.
“Everybody needs health care,” said Pamela Bellow a nurse practitioner for Fort Bend Family Health Center. “It’s important to come out to these events and be aware of what you have in your community and access it because if you don’t, then some of the funds that are used to have the programs are pulled.” The Fort Bend Family Health Center, located in the Owens-Franklin building on the second floor, provides prenatal care, family planning, immunizations, pap smears and health care for all ages.
Diamonique Moore, a junior education major said, “I came to the health fair today because I think it’s important that everyone get tested to make sure that they’re not walking around with a disease and spreading it to others.” According to research, 50 percent of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2004 were African-American and 67.4 percent of women newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS were African-American.
Students also were able to receive a massage while obtaining information from a professional psychologist about stress and how to handle large amounts of stress. Studies show that a certain amount of stress is normal but relaxation and reducing emotional arousal help individuals manage stress better.
Ayers hoped that students who attended would “become more aware of diseases, be more informative, and be more careful when they decide to participate in sexual intercourse.