You can never be too proactive when it comes to your health. The earlier you know about a condition you may have, the sooner you can explore treatment options or learn how to better manage it.

According to the lab team at Prowers Medical Center, this is why individuals should have their bloodwork completed on an annual basis, and it’s why current staff members have helped perform blood tests at Prowers Medical Center’s Annual Health Fair for more than a decade. This year’s health fair will run from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 7, through Thursday, May 9. Girard National Bank co-sponsors the event, which has been a community tradition for more than 40 years.

“The years of experience has given our team the opportunity to see what works and make the appropriate adjustments to benefit the community,” said Tress Gadash, Lab Manager for Prowers Medical Center. “It is very rewarding to provide a service to our community and to see that they appreciate and support Prowers Medical Center in return. “

Keenan Thomas, a lab staff member at Prowers Medical Center, said nearly all lab staff — a team of nine people, eight of which will work the entire event — will contribute to this year’s annual health fair. He said some lab staff will collect blood samples while others will be busy performing important behind-the-scene tasks.

“Hospital staff has spent time addressing the minor details of this event,” Gadash said. “Our objective is to get everyone through the registration and blood draw stations as smoothly as possible in order to allow people to take advantage of all the other screenings and vendor booths set up throughout the facility.” Participants should expect the lab portion of the health fair to take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

According to Gadash, our community is affected by various health disorders, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease — all disorders that are very manageable or preventable with early action. Individuals of any age are at risk for these types of diseases and several more, which is why the lab staff encourages community members to attend this annual event.

“An unwelcome diagnosis can happen to anyone at any age,” Gadash said. “Unfortunately, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes can be diagnosed in individuals that consider themselves to be healthy. Take the time and get tested.”

For $25, participants can receive several essential tests at the health fair, including CBC (complete blood count), glucose, uric acid, Bilirubin, Hemoglobin A1C, lipid panel, Creatinine and more. Men can receive a Prostate Specific Antigen screening test for prostate cancer for an additional $10. To view the full list of Wellness Screen Blood Tests that will be offered, go to https://www.prowersmedical.com/health-fair.

Gadash said all of these tests play a vital role in managing an individual’s health, and they can help monitor liver function, kidney function, risk for diabetes, risk for heart disease and more. Results are often finalized within 24 hours and, once finalized, are immediately available on the Prowers Medical Center Patient Portal. If a patient prefers to get their results mailed to them, they can expect to receive results early the following week.

On top of taking advantage of low-cost labs and free blood pressure tests, participants will have the opportunity to speak to Prowers Medical Center department managers about their services and check out information booths from various healthcare and community partners.

Angela Martin, a lab staff member for Prowers Medical Center, said the lab team’s goal is to give patients a positive experience. She said the lab is staffed with local people that genuinely care about their community, which is why they take pride in their customer service and the results they report at the Annual Health Fair.

“This is a great opportunity for people to be proactive about their health,” Martin said. “We encourage people to follow up with their provider regarding any questions or concerns they have.”

For more information about this event, contact Chief Operating Officer Karen Bryant by calling 719-336-5147 or by emailing her at karen.bryant@prowersmedical.com.