IF YOU GO
What: Minority Health Fair
When: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Eastgate Town Center, 5600 Brainerd Road
Moses Freeman never suspected he had any health problems until a blood pressure screening at a minority health fair revealed he had different blood pressures in the upper and lower parts of his body.
Within days the local developer saw a vascular surgeon and had surgery to remove blockages in his veins that could have led to a heart attack or stroke.
Now Freeman, 74, encourages everyone he can to take advantage of the free screenings at an upcoming minority health fair set for Saturday.
"Screenings are life-saving. They save your life," said Freeman, who will volunteer at the event.
Freeman will be among about 2,000 people and 150 vendors expected to attend the 10th annual minority health fair, which will offer nearly a dozen screenings, including vision and hearing for children and adults, bone density, blood pressure and diabetes.
"There is no reason why people should die prematurely as long as there are health screenings and medicine that can prevent it," Freeman said. "There is no need for people to go on disability, lose their employment because they didn't go to a doctor."
And all of the health fair, including the screenings and the lab work, is free, said Chris Ramsey, Minority Health Fair steering committee member and a manager at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.
Health care professionals do the screenings, which normally would cost hundreds of dollars. But the health fair is providing access to health care and making it affordable at the same time, he said.
People are encouraged to register at the fair so their address can be on file allowing lab results to be sent through the mail, said Ramsey.
Yolanda Putman has been a reporter at the Times Free Press for 11 years. She covers housing and previously covered education and crime. Yolanda is a Chattanooga native who has a master’s degree in communication from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Alabama State University. She previously worked at the Lima (Ohio) News. She enjoys running, reading and writing and is the mother of one son, Tyreese. She has also ...
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