The annual Black Family Wellness Expo will take place on Saturday, March 15 at Germantown Elementary School. The event will run from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The Patuxent River Chapter of The Links Incorporated holds the event.
The Links Incorporated is an international nonprofit that was first established in 1946. More than 17,000 professional women of African American descent are members. Today there are nearly 300 chapters around the country and overseas. The Patuxent River Chapter encompasses most of upper Montgomery County. This is the 11th year the Chapter will hold a Wellness Expo.
Expo’s Goals
The goals of the Expo are multi-faceted. The event will help address issues which negatively impact the health and quality of life for many in the Black community.
Another goal is raising awareness about conditions that shorten or impact the lives of people in this community from infants to senior citizens. The Expo will provide information on pre-natal care and newborn issues, and maternal health. Organizers will hand out information on breast and prostate cancer, kidney disease, heart health, mental health awareness, aging, and dementia.
Planned Activities
The Wellness Expo features a number of activities. A wide range of providers will be on hand.
The activities will take place on the first floor of the elementary school.
- People can get their blood pressure checked. Organizers will give away free blood pressure monitoring devices. Nurses also will show people how to use the monitoring devices.
- A dentist will be on hand. She will provide free scans and an evaluation for people who are experiencing any dental problems. People also will get tips on how to brush and floss their teeth properly.
- A dietician will offer free nutrition advice and provide tips on healthy eating.
- A clinical social worker will discuss mental health issues and provide tips to reduce stress.
- Spa services-people can sign up for a free facial and they can get a skin analysis to see if they are at risk of skin cancer.
- A farmer will teach people how to grow healthy vegetables. The farmer will hand out seeds to attendees and show them how to grow fresh vegetables.
Other activities include face painting for children and line dancing for adults.
Chapter President Speaks Out
MCM spoke with the Patuxent River chapter President, Dr. Cheryl Simmons Gray. She said the chapter partners with The African American Health Program (AAHP) and Montgomery College to provide staffing for the event. All of the health care providers volunteer their time.
“We’re so excited and so happy that we have these volunteers, and they are bringing their expertise in their fields to do this,” Gray said.
Gray said she hopes it will make a difference in the community. Gray explained many diseases impact the Black Community more than other groups and getting the information out to the public is critical.
“Heart disease is the number one killer for all Americans, but in the African American community, the incidence is much higher. It’s due to high blood pressure being more prominent in the community along with diabetes, and obesity. All of these conditions contribute to heart disease,” Gray explained.
Health Care Disparity
She pointed out members of the Black community do not always have the same access to health care as other racial groups. Part of the problem is economic.
“In my practice, I had a lot of people telling me either I buy the medicine or I buy food to eat. So for some it was a choice between eating and or taking their medications. Those are the real life choices that they have to make. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to take the medicine; it was because they could not afford it. There are a lot of people in the United States who cannot afford health care,” Gray said.
Trust is another issue. Gray said some people in the Black community do not feel comfortable talking with people who do not look like them. “It’s just not the same comfort level. There’s been a big mistrust in the African American community that goes way back to the Tuskegee studies,” Gray said. “We’re trying to overcome some of these disparities and try to educate people.”
Chapter’s Motto
She shared her chapter’s motto, ‘I to the third power’. The three I’s stand for: intentional, impactful and improving people’s lives.
The nonprofit group welcomes donations. To learn more about the Patuxent River chapter go to their website.
