Free Health Screenings Come To Hawai‘i Island
WE… a hui for health, a program created in 2011 and based on Hawai’i values and local relationships, will be in 16 Big Island communities over the next month to give island residents greater access to health screenings and information to help them understand their role in improving their own health. The wide array of health screenings and counseling including retinal vision screenings, lung function testing, glucose and blood pressure testing, take-home kidney function test, women’s health and breast self examination training, hepatitis risk assessment and screening and safe tattoo practices, hearing testing, smoking cessation counseling, family caregiver counseling, organ donor counseling, mental health information, peer education, cancer screening and diagnosis, Medicare Education and assistance, and more including nutrition. No appointments necessary. WE events on the Big Island are made possible through the financial and material support of many different health-related advocacy groups, government agencies, Native Hawaiian health organizations, ‘Ohana Health Plan, Young Brothers and the Lions Clubs throughout Hawai‘i.
Events will be held at the following locations and dates:
- Kealakekua Ranch Shopping Center (near Choice Mart), Sunday, Aug 26
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 9am-1pm
- Vision Van ONLY, 1pm-4pm
- Ocean View Farmers Market, Saturday, Sept 1
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 8am–12noon
- Ka‘ū Resource and Distance Learning Center, Saturday, Sept 1
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 2pm–6pm
- Maku‘u Market, Pāhoa, Sunday, Sept 2
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 7am–12noon
- Mo‘oheau Bandstand, Hilo, Friday, Sept 7
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 8am-11am
- Hilo Life Care Center, Saturday, Sept 8
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 8am–3pm
- Hilo Wal-Mart , Sunday, Sept 9
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 10am–2pm
- Hawai‘i County Fair, Hilo, Thursday, Sept 13
- Vision Van ONLY, 6pm-10pm
- North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center, Honoka‘a, Friday, Sept 14
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 10am–2pm
- Vision Van ONLY, 9am-5pm
- North Hawai‘i Community Hospital, Waimea, Saturday, Sept 15
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 11am–2pm
- Vision Van ONLY, 9am-5pm
- Waikoloa Shopping Center, Sunday, Sept 16
- Full WE, including Vision Van, 10am–2pm
- Vision Van ONLY, 9am–4pm
- Hāwī Banyan Tree , Tuesday, Sept 18
- Vision Van ONLY, 9am-3pm
- Honoka‘a Gym, Saturday, Sept 22
- Vision Van ONLY, 9am-5pm
- Parker Ranch Center, Waimea, Sunday, Sept 23
- Vision Van ONLY, 9am-5pm
Young Brothers is providing free inter-island shipping of the Project Vision Hawai‘i vision van, thereby making these health screening events possible. Other community partners who have made these special free programs possible include Hāmākua Health Center, North Hawai‘i Community Hospital, Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi, the Department of Health office on the Big Island, Ka‘ū Resource and Distance Learning Center, Ka‘ū Hospital, Life Care Center, and many others.
Screenings WE provides include:
- Retinal Screening on the Vision Van (Project Vision Hawai‘i, Lions Clubs of District 50 Lions Clubs International and numerous Optometrists and Ophthalmologists on every island)
- Lung Function Testing – Spirometry – (Hawai‘i COPD Coalition)
- Glucose and Blood Pressure Testing (American Diabetes Association, Entra Health Systems ‘Ohana Health Plan)
- Take-Home Kidney Function Test (National Kidney Foundation of Hawai‘i)
- Women’s Health and Breast Self-Examination training and Information (The Queen’s Medical Center, Women’s Health and Maternity Services)
- Hepatitis Risk Assessment and Screening and Safe Tattoo Practices information (Hepatitis Support Network)
- Hearing Testing and Learning Disabilities Information (Learning Disabilities Association of Hawai‘i)
- Smoking Cessation Counseling (America Lung Association)
- Family Caregiver Counseling (The Caregiver Foundation of America, Hawai‘i Chapter)
- Organ Donor Counseling (Legacy of Life Hawai‘i)
- Mental Health Information, Peer Education, and Resource Publications (Community Alliance for Mental Health)
- Cancer – Issues with the diagnosis and treatment of Cancer (‘Imi Hale of Papa Ola Lōkahi)
- Medicare Education and assistance (Sage PLUS, Executive Office on Aging, Department of Health, State of Hawai‘i)
- The Department of Health is also offering information on Disaster Preparedness – “Plan 9” for sheltering in place provides a guide to help residents shelter-in-place in the event of an emergency.
- For healthier eating habits, the DOH has Hawaii 5-2-1-0 providing o simple steps to healthy lifestyles for children and families.
- Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi, Native Hawaiian Health Care for Hawai‘i Island, will be providing nutrition education and tobacco cessation awareness education and displays.