ASU students to host free health fair for the homeless
Oct 20, 2017, 4:01 PM
(Photo by Lyonel Tso via ASU on Facebook)
Arizona State University students are hosting a free health fair in downtown Phoenix on Saturday for people experiencing homelessness.
Students who are part of the Student Health Outreach for Wellness, a multi-university initiative that includes Arizona State University’s College of Nursing and Health Initiative, are organizing the health fair. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lodestar Day Resource Center.
“We’re providing screenings to patients for things like diabetic foot neuropathy, giving flu shots, and connecting them with different resources in the community,” said Mary Saxon, an ASU nursing student and director of the Student Health Outreach for Wellness, also known as SHOW.
Attendees will also be able to receive blood pressure checks, oral cleanings, and HIV and AIDS testing. In addition to the health services, community groups will be on hand providing job and career resources, legal counseling, and nutrition information.
This is the fourth year SHOW puts together the free health fair. Last year, they helped nearly 300 people. Saxon said they expect to reach that number again this year.
She added the health fair is part of SHOW’s efforts to provide free health care for underserved populations in Phoenix.
Students who are part of SHOW operate a clinic regularly open on Saturday mornings at the Human Services Campus in downtown Phoenix. They provide patients with the opportunity to receive treatment from students of various health care disciplines. Students are supervised by ASU faculty and medical professionals.
Saxon said students opened the clinic two years ago “as a way to connect with the community, provide some services that are missing and make it a one stop shop for people to come get their social services and medical needs met.”