Oct. 11--There was something new Saturday afternoon at the massive San Jose Flea Market, amid the rows of booths hawking "six for $10" T-shirts, car parts, colorful Mexican soccer jerseys, melons, peppers, miniature bananas and fluorescent paintings.
Nurses. Blood pressure kits. Flu shots. Cholesterol tests. And all of it free.
Demand was robust for the 8th annual Open Air Health Fair, a two-day event that offers free medical screenings and preventive care for anyone who wants it.
The fair, which continues today at the flea market's pavilion, is put on each year by the Health Trust, a nonprofit foundation based in Campbell.
The goal is to help people, usually those without medical insurance, learn about the state of their health and direct them to local clinics, classes, and federal and state programs they may be eligible for, said Nicole Kohleriter, a spokeswoman for the Health Trust.
"With so many people losing jobs and lacking health insurance, there a heck of a lot of people who need care who aren't getting it," she said.
High demand for tests
By midafternoon Saturday, about 200 people had undergone screenings, including tests for cholesterol, blood sugar, body mass index and blood pressure. Children also were provided free dental screenings.
Several thousand others wandered through the flea market pavilion tent, looking at booths providing information on everything from healthy eating
to breast cancer, eye care to heart physiology.
Among the most popular draws this year: free seasonal flu shots.
"We were blown away by the line when we opened," Kohleriter said. "It was out the door."
Among those who participated in the fair was Veronica Perez, 37, of San Jose, who was there with her 2-year-old daughter, Izel.
"My parents have a history of diabetes," she said. "My blood sugar test was OK, but I want to learn more."
Perez, who said she is looking for work and couldn't have afforded to pay a doctor for the tests, was given her results and referred to two San Jose clinics that offer classes on diabetes management and nutrition.
Up to 400 volunteers were expected to help administer tests and run the event this weekend. Among them are nursing students from San Jose State University, Evergreen Valley College, Mission College and Western Career College. About 100 high school students also are participating with translation and children's activities.
All the information is in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Free for all
There are no requirements to participate. People wanting screening do not have to be residents of Santa Clara County or show proof of income or citizenship, which is required of most federal and state programs, such as Medicaid.
"It's so much cheaper -- not to mention safer, from a public health perspective -- to give somebody a flu shot than to let a child make a whole classroom sick," said Kohleriter. "Prevention is good for the individual and for the whole community."
The event costs about $50,000 a year to put on. Flu vaccines are provided free by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. The Health Trust obtained most of its funding starting in 1996, when three nonprofit hospitals -- Good Samaritan, San Jose Medical Center and South Valley Hospital -- converted to for-profit status. Under state law, hospitals making the transition were required to set up nonprofit foundations, and the transaction provided a $54 million endowment to establish the Health Trust.
In addition to the annual free health fair, the organization provides HIV treatment, children's dental services and a Meals on Wheels Program that last year served 97,000 elderly, homebound and handicapped people in Santa Clara and northern San Benito counties.
Contact Paul Rogers at 408-920-5045.
If you"re interested
The health fair "" which is free "" continues today from noon until 5 p.m. at the Berryessa Flea Market, 1590 Berryessa Road, San Jose. For more information, go to www.healthtrust.org
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