Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

WORLAND - Banner Health Washakie Medical Center is hosting a wellness and diabetes prevention health fair this evening at the hospital from 4 – 7:30 p.m. as a way to celebrate National Rural Health Day.

“The reason we are doing this is to prevent diabetes type two. One out of three people in the United States have pre-diabetes and we can prevent it going into full diabetes. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in America. It contributes to heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, loss of toes, feet and limbs,” Banner Health Washakie Medical Center chief nursing officer LeGay Naseath said. “We really want to prevent diabetes,” she added.

During the health fair, attendees will be able to go through a free screening to see what their risk factor for diabetes is and whether they are pre-diabetic or not, Naseath said. Blood pressure, heart rate, BMI (body mass index), height and weight will be taken and physician’s assistant Joe Tritchler and Dr. Charles Buchanan will be available to speak to people about their risk factors.

Nutrition education will also be provided along with nutritional games with prizes. Door prizes will also be given.

Naseath stated that this health fair will lead to a new program that the hospital will be offering at the beginning of 2019. “In January we are going to have a diabetes prevention program so people that are identified as pre-diabetic, if they want to join the program, it will be part of our wellness program, so they can use our wellness gym and they can come to classes to learn lifestyle changes that will help them prevent the development of diabetes,” Naseath said.

There will also be an opportunity to draw wellness labs during the health fair.