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Volunteer Holly Kazmer performs a peripheral arterial disease screening on a health fair participant at last year’s Loveland Community Health Fair. This year the popular fair, which drew over 2,400 participants in 2009, turns 30.

This year will be the 30th anniversary of the Annual Loveland Community Health Fair.

Sheryl Fahrenbruch, Senior Manager of Wellness Services at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, and health fair director for the past 11 years, says it has been very rewarding helping the community get the care they need for so many years.

“We are set up to offer many low or no-cost screenings and wellness checks for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them.”

In 2009, she says nearly 1,600 people had blood draws and a total of about 2,400 people were seen at the fair. They are planning for an even bigger turn out this year.

“Even though we are seeing hundreds of people, the fair is very organized and runs smoothly. Patients seem very happy with the care and attention they receive from our compassionate healthcare providers and grateful for the annual event.”

She believes the fair has grown every year because they perform an important service for the community, and because they have quality healthcare workers who truly care about the people. “It is very rewarding to know that we could be saving a person’s life, or catch a disease or illness before it gets worse,” says Fahrenbruch.

Many people have told her that because of the testing and education they have received at the fair, they have seen numbers in their blood tests go down and believe they stay healthier. “It is a great resource for medical screening as well as education and information,” says Fahrenbruch.

Patient Janice Leichliter receives a wellness screening from Sheryl Fahrenbruch, Senior Manager of Wellness Services at McKee Medical Center.

She says the volunteers for the fair are healthcare providers and dental and vision experts from the area. They choose local healthcare providers so patients can make follow-up appointments with providers if necessary.

“We have healthcare volunteers from all over the Northern Colorado area who donate their time every year and are passionate about this event,” says Fahrenbruch.

She says the health fair screenings include everything from general health, to vision and dental. Just some of the screenings offered are: blood pressure, skin cancer, foot and ankle, hearing, vision, glaucoma, spine and posture, oral cancer, Prostate Specific Antigen screening for men, complete blood count to check for leukemia, anemia or infection, High Sensitivity C Reactive protein screening that would indicate inflammation and heart disease, peripheral artery disease, body fat, asthma, breast exam, bone density testing, memory, vein, Chem 24 screening which measures cholesterol, triglycerides, thyroid, and several heart liver and kidney enzymes. Patients may also request a free physician consult.

Fahrenbruch says the only screenings they charge for are blood tests; all other screenings are free to participants.

She says most of the blood screenings require participants to have blood drawn in advance at McKee Medical Center, so that the results can be ready and discussed by a healthcare provider on the day of the fair. “Physicians can then explain findings to the participants and answer any questions they might have.”

Many people who are currently unemployed or without health coverage use the fair to get their annual check ups and screenings. “The fair should not be a substitute for consistent care by a primary care provider, but should be just one piece of a participant’s healthcare regimen,” says Fahrenbruch.

She says they are very excited about the anniversary of the health fair this year and want to celebrate with all their providers and participants as they work to serve the community for another year.

The health fair is sponsored by McKee Medical Center, Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Loveland Reporter-Herald, Larimer County Medical Society, and the City of Loveland.

It will be Saturday, April 24 at the McKee Conference and Wellness Center in Loveland at 2000 N. Boise Ave. For questions about the fair or screenings, readers may call (970) 669-9355(WELL). +

Screening Guidelines for Men

as recommended by the Department of Health & Human Services

General Health
• Discuss regular full checkups with your doctor, including weight and height.
• Get an HIV test at least once to find out your HIV status. Ask your doctor if and when you need the test again.

Heart Health
• Have your blood pressure tested at least every two years, beginning at age 18.
• Start cholesterol tests at age 20. Discuss with your doctor when to have cholesterol tested again.

Diabetes
• Starting at age 45, have a blood sugar test done every three years.

Prostate Health
• Beginning at age 40, ask your doctor if you need a digital rectal exam or a prostate-specific antigen test to monitor prostate health.

Reproductive Health
• Discuss with your doctor at what age you should begin having testicular exams.
• Both partners should get tested for sexually transmitted infection before initiating intercourse at any age.

Colorectal Health
• Use one of these three methods starting at age 50: A fecal blood test yearly until age 75, then discuss need with doctor; flexible sigmoidoscopy (with fecal occult blood test) every five years until age 75, then discuss with your doctor; or a colonoscopy every 10 years until age 75, then discuss with your doctor.

Eye and Ear Health
• Have a complete eye exam at least once between ages 20-29 and at least twice between ages 30-39, or at any time you have difficulty with your eyes. Get an exam at age 40, then every 2-4 years or as your doctor advises. At age 65, have an eye exam every 1-2 years.
• Have your first hearing test at age 18, then every 10 years until age 50. At age 50, have the test every 2-4 years or as your doctor advises, then every 1-2 years after age 65.

Skin Health
• Perform monthly mole self-exams beginning at age 20; have doctor perform exams as part of your routine checkup.

Immunizations
• Influenza vaccine: discuss with your doctor prior to age 50. Beginning at age 50, get your flu shot yearly.
• Pneumococcal vaccine: vaccine needed one time only at age 65.
• Tetanus-diphtheria: vaccine needed every 10 years beginning at age 18.
• Meningococcal vaccine: discuss with your doctor if you are attending college or are a military recruit.
• Herpes zoster vaccine (prevents shingles): starting at age 60, one time only, if recommended by doctor.

Screening Guidelines for Women

as recommended by the Department of Health & Human Services

General Health
• Discuss regular full checkups with your doctor, including weight and height.
• Get an HIV test at least once to find out your HIV status. Ask your doctor if and when you need the test again.
• Thyroid test: discuss with your doctor.

Heart Health
• Have your blood pressure tested at least every two years, beginning at age 18.
• Start cholesterol tests at age 20. Discuss with your doctor when to have cholesterol tested again.

Diabetes
• Starting at age 45, have a blood glucose test done every three years.

Bone Health
• Prior to age 65, discuss the need for a bone density screen. At age 65, get a bone mineral density test at least once. Ask your doctor about repeat screenings.

Breast Health
• Begin having mammograms every 1-2 years at age 40 or as your doctor recommends. Note: information last updated March 1, 2009. Ask your doctor for any updated recommendations regarding mammograms.
• Clinical breast exams should be done every three years starting in your 20s and yearly beginning at age 40.

Reproductive Health
• A Pap test should be performed every 1-3 years if you have been sexually active or are older than age 21. At age 65, discuss frequency of Pap test with your doctor.
• Pelvic exam should be performed yearly beginning at age 21. If you are younger than 21 and sexually active, discuss exam with your doctor.
• Chlamydia tests should be performed yearly until age 25 if you are sexually active. If older than age 26, get this test if you have new or multiple partners.
• Both partners should get tested for sexually transmitted infection before initiating intercourse at any age.

Colorectal Health
• Use one of these three methods starting at age 50: A fecal blood test yearly until age 75, then discuss need with doctor; flexible sigmoidoscopy (with fecal occult blood test) every five years until age 75, then discuss with your doctor; or a colonoscopy every 10 years until age 75, then discuss with your doctor.

Eye and Ear Health
• Have a complete eye exam at least once between ages 20-29 and at least twice between ages 30-39, or at any time you have difficulty with your eyes. Get an exam at age 40, then every 2-4 years or as your doctor advises. At age 65, have an eye exam every 1-2 years.
• Have your first hearing test at age 18, then every 10 years until age 50. At age 50, have the test every 3 years or as your doctor advises.

Skin Health
• Perform monthly mole self-exams beginning at age 20; have doctor perform exams as part of your routine checkup.

Immunizations
• Influenza vaccine: discuss with your doctor prior to age 50. Beginning at age 50, get your flu shot yearly.
• Pneumococcal vaccine: vaccine needed one time only at age 65.
• Tetanus-diphtheria: vaccine needed every 10 years beginning at age 18.
• Human papillomavirus vaccine: up to age 26, if you have not already completed the vaccine series, discuss with your doctor.
• Meningococcal vaccine: discuss with your doctor if you are attending college or are a military recruit.
• Herpes zoster vaccine (prevents shingles): starting at age 60, one time only, if recommended by doctor.