On Oct. 23rd, the Student Health Center held a Student Health Fair on the ground floor of the University Center. The Student Health Center is located at 1901 10th Ave Cassidy Hall and walk-ins are welcome. Their number is 970-351-2412 and their hours are 8 am to 5 pm from Monday through Friday.
The event held tables where students could get a flu shot, get their blood glucose checked, their blood pressure checked, and get an assessment on the risk of cancer in the facial area. Most of the staff noted when taking the blood glucose that students had low sugars, probably caused by not eating breakfast.
Each table held a variety of goods along with the health information and services. Some of the goods included free clothing items such as UNC socks, a UNC scarf, and multiple UNC shirts. The table advertising discounted services with a coupon gave out a free toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. A unique free give away included a palm-sized first aid kit and pairs of earphones with UNC printed on them. Other items included the common, organization embossed Chapstick, pens and phone pockets.
The first table held a station for flu vaccinations along with information on the flu and the vaccine. According to a flyer from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu generally spreads between the months of October and May in the United States. The flu kills approximately thousands of people in the United States every year according to the CDC.
Afterward, it can take up to two weeks for the protection from the vaccine to develop. Unlike a popular belief, the CDC states the Influenza (flu) vaccine does not cause the flu. It also does not recommend people who have had an allergic reaction to past flu shots to get one or if they have ever had Guillian-Barré Syndrome. Signs of an allergic reaction to the vaccine are hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness, weakness, and a fast heartbeat. If this happens, call 911.
An important distinction that the staff wanted to make clear is to know the difference between a cold and a case of the flu. Cold symptoms are different from the flu because they commonly produce a sore throat, stuffy nose, and sneezing. The flu produces these common symptoms: chest discomfort, headache, fever, aches and pains, fatigue, and extreme exhaustion. Some of these symptoms can happen in either case, however, most people will only develop those symptoms. They recommend using precaution to not spread germs and drink lots of water and get rest with both illnesses.
Another table held information on how to become a bone marrow donor, thanks to the DKMS organization that seeks to help people with blood cancer. They provided information on blood cancer that is not commonly talked about. It is the third leading cause of cancer deaths, and 70% of patients must rely on strangers to donate bone marrow. To be a bone marrow donor, you must be between the ages of 18 and 55, willing to donate, be in good health, and for this organization willing to travel and live in the U.S.
The tables that provided information and tips on how to reduce the chances of skin cancer also held a space for breast cancer awareness. The tips on how to look after your skin included, putting on sunscreen, and checking the body for unusual moles or any unusual changes in the skin. As for preventing a checking for breast cancer, there were pamphlets handed out on how to give yourself a breast examination. Some changes to look for when doing this examination are lumps, swelling, redness, darkening of the breast, change in the shape of the breast, dimpling of the skin, itchy or scaly skin on the nipple, and new pain in one spot that does not go away.
At the age of 20, women, and some men at risk, should get a clinical breast exam every three years, and after age 40 every year along with mammograms.
The services that the Student Health Center provides at Cassidy hall include comprehensive preventative and primary care, women’s health care, immunizations, lab services, low-cost prescription medicine, massage therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and over the counter medication. These services can only be accessed with the Bear Health Insurance plan or with accepted insurance agency plans. Two of the insurance plans that are not accepted by the Heath Center include Kaiser and Tricare Prime. To know if your insurance is accepted call 970-351-2412.
