INDIANAPOLIS — This weekend, you can get free health screenings downtown, with an emphasis on heart health.
IU Health is working with different organizations around the city to provide basic heart health resources for anyone in need. The medical group works with the community as part of The Indianapolis Health Equity, Access, outReach and Treatment Collaborative (iHEART).
Nichole Wilson, Vice President of Community Health Operations for IU Health, says getting involved with the community is a vitally important part of her job. She notes that, while heart disease is a nationwide problem, Hoosiers struggle more than those in many other states.
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Community organizations that are partnering with IU Health this weekend include churches and groups that have long prioritized health and fostering human connection.
Services that will be provided include blood pressure screenings, COVID boosters, and CPR demonstrations. Wilson encourages members of underserved and underprivileged communities to attend, as these screenings occur in less formal – and, for many, less stressful – settings than doctor’s offices.
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Screenings will be held Saturday and Sunday at locations around the city. Continue reading for more information.
Saturday, February 25th:
Madam Walker Legacy Center – 617 Indiana Avenue Suite 320
Focuses: Heart health and maternal/women’s health.
When: 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Services Offered: Blood pressure screenings and CPR/AED demonstrations.
First Baptist Church North Indianapolis Aging Gracefully Senior Program – 880 West 28th Street
Focuses: Heart health and senior care.
When: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Services Offered: Blood pressure screenings, COVID boosters and COVID home testing kits.
Sunday, February 26th:
New Direction Black History Month Program – 5330 East 30th Street
Focuses: Heart health and healthcare for the African American community.
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Services Offered: Blood pressure screenings, COVID boosters and COVID home testing kits.
According to an IU Health press release, Indiana is not even in the top 30 healthiest states. It is ranked 36th for hypertension, 30th for hyperlipidemia, and 40th for obesity.
The iHEART Collaborative is a three-year initiative between Indiana University Health, Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institutes, IUPUI Polis Center, Fairbanks School of Public Health and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
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