2010 Fort Collins 9HF

Finally!

The 9HealthFair is over.  Don't get me wrong, I love it.  I love preparing for the Health Fair, I love working the Health Fair and I love it when it's over.  Usually, the Fort Collins Fair serves approximately 2,500 people over two days.  This year, our numbers were down, which was a disappointment to me.  We only served about 1,800 people.  This is the first year we haven't hit 2,000 people.

I would have thought with the economy in the toilet the way it is, that more people would have taken advantage of the free screenings.  Even our blood draws were offered at cost: the Blood Chemistry Screening is valued at about $800 and we only charge $30; the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) usually runs around $200 and we only charged $25.  Seriously, thanks to Quest Diagnostics, we offer the lowest-priced blood tests around.  Everything else - skin cancer screening, oral cancer screening, bone density, digital rectal exams, testicular and breast exams - all free.  So, why, when the majority of the nation is struggling, were we down almost seven hundred people?  It makes no sense to me (unless, of course, everyone's waiting for their *free* healthcare from Obama).

Despite being disappointed, we did still serve 1,800 people and that's a whole lot more than if we didn't have the 9HealthFair.  And I'm so unbelievably proud of my students - they were amazing! The people in the blue scrubs are my students.  There was another school there in black t-shirts, and they brought almost 100 volunteers.  I only took 50 - it's easier to keep control of smaller groups and make sure they're acting professionally.  For some of my students this is the first "grown up" job they've had and the professional behavior is completely different from any of the throw away jobs they've had in the past.

Blood Pressure

Phlebotomy

Three of my grads who now help run the Fair: PeeWee, Roo, and Ria